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October 2018 Newsletter

In This Issue
Member Support Team members and Dr. Steven Pantilat
upcomingUpcoming Events 
oct2
Candidate Forum with Assembly  District 15 candidates Jovanka Beckles and Buffy Wicks
 
Tuesday, October 2, 7 - 8:30 PM
New venue: Berkeley Community Theater, on the campus of Berkeley High School

Join us for this forum, consisting of opening and closing statements, prepared questions, and questions from the audience, co-sponsored by Ashby Village's Elder Action interest group.

 
  sam
 
Friday, October 5, 3 - 4 PM

Ashby Village Office, 1821 Catalina Ave., Berkeley

In this Pre-Happy Hour talk, Ashby Village volunteer Sam Duncan will show slides of his time in this dynamic country. After years in the defense industry, Sam rechanneled his expertise by working for volunteer organizations - teaching Math, Physics and Computer Science in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and setting up a computer center at a university in the Philippines.  
sid
Rights of People with Disabilities: Practical Advice
 
Thursday, October 18, 2 - 3:30 PM
Ashby Village Office, 1821 Catalina Ave., Berkeley 

Sid Wolinsky, long-time civil rights lawyer and one of the nation's leading disability rights advocates, will explain your rights if you have mobility, sight, hearing or other disabilities, and will offer simple and practical examples. 

NOTE: Parking in the area is limited. Please call at least one week ahead if you would like to request a ride from a volunteer.
To RSVP c all 510 204-9200 or email
lrc
October Living Room Chat
 
LRC
Sunday, October 31, 2 - 4 PM
Presentation starts at 2 PM
Member's home, Berkeley 
 
Invite a few friends to join our Living Room Chat! They'll have the opportunity to hear what Ashby Village offers to our members and volunteers, how it enhances their quality of life, and why it helps them develop peace of mind about the future.
friends
Making Friends With Your House
 
Friday, October 26, 2 - 4 PM
Ashby Village Office, 1821 Catalina Ave., Berkeley 
 
Caring for your home need not be overwhelming! Roger Newman and Naomi Friedman will give AV members and volunteers tips to help cope with basic home safety, maintenance and repair issues. 
 
The presentation will cover quick fixes to common home hazards, emergency shut-offs, typical house maintenance needs, and dealing with contractors.
 scheffler

Sunday, October 28, 2 - 4 PM
Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave.,
Berkeley

Join Richard Scheffler, Distinguished Professor of Health Economics and Public Policy at UC Berkeley, for a lively discussion on how California can change its healthcare system in ways that improve health outcomes, reduce costs, and create the savings necessary to provide health insurance for all Californians.  
 
Suggested $10 donation for guests who are not Ashby Village members or volunteers.
VolunteersVolunteers
 hnh
Hearts N' Hands Garden Cleanup Events
  
Garden and Yard Cleanup!
Friday, October 5, 9:30 AM - 2 PM 
For this project we will help clean up front and back yard. Tasks will include trimming ivy from fence, cutting back some bushes, dead-heading roses, sweeping leaves etc. 
 
Ivy, Cotoneaster and Scotch Broom, Oh My!
Thursday, October 11, 9:30 AM - 2 PM
This project will include trimming ivy, cutting and pruning Cotoneaster and trimming back Scotch Broom. Volunteers should be strong, agile and with good balance. 
walk
Walk to End Alzheimer's
AV Team 2016
 
Ashby Village is joining the Walk to END Alzheimer's. Please JOIN US!

Saturday, October 20
Registration 7:30 AM 
Ceremony 8:30 / Walk 9:30 
Heather Farm Park
301 N. San Carlos Drive
Walnut Creek, CA  
 
If you can't join the walk, please consider donating towards our team's goal of $2000. We're almost there!
 
Click here to donate to our goal or to walk with our team!
  
thanks
Hearts N'Hands Window Washing Event Thank You
 
Thank you to everyone who participated. There was much laughter and pleasant camaraderie...I am eternally grateful to you all, clean windows!!! special thanks to Pat who organized this and came herself to volunteer as a window washer.
AV Member Mary G.
   
HNH window washer 
on September 13
AnnouncementAnnouncements
 
Plan Ahead to Submit Articles to this Newsletter  

Would you like your event or notice to appear in the Village
Voices Newsletter? Use this simple form to submit your material.

It takes us time to prepare each issue! Remember that the DEADLINE for each newsletter is the 15th of the previous month. Late submissions are not guaranteed placement in the next newsletter.

 
Save The Date! Ashby Village Open House: November 10, 2-4 pm  

Interested in sharing the benefits of our Ashby Village community with friends and family? Save the date! An invitation will be arriving in your inbox soon. 



healthieraging
 
Classes





Ashby Village really is "On The Move." Our classes are thriving:
75 - 85 of our members participate in at least one of our classes per week. The more we move, the healthier we stay! Join one of these popular classes and/or get on the wait list for classes currently at capacity.

Stretch, Strength and Dance is a great aerobic and strength training workout. Try this fun class, offered in conjunction with the Berkeley Adult School. Wednesdays at 10 AM. $35 for the semester

Senior Yoga with Ada Lusardi is close to capacity but is still open to new members. Thursdays at 10 AM.

Balance, Flexibility, and Strength with Pat McKernan, $10 per class. A great way to build muscle and improve balance.
Wednesdays at 12:30.

Exercising Your Memory with Donna Davis is now full. Contact RobertaPressman, rpress19@gmail.com for more information.

Tai Chi Chih is now closed to new members. Email 
faithisaacs@sbcglobal.net   to be put on the wait list.

The 8-week seminar  A Matter of Balance , beginning October 16, is fully subscribed. We hope to present it again early next year. If interested, get on the wait list now. Contact Roberta Pressman, rpress19@gmail.com

Strolls and Hikes
 
Fall is the perfect time to rediscover our beautiful Berkeley and Oakland trails. 
 
 
Discover Quirky Berkeley in a flat 2-mile urban South Berkeley walk on Sunday, October 14, noon - 2 PM.
 
 
 
 

Join our 10 AM - 1 PM Monday Walks by the Bay with Claire Heinzelman.
 
Check the Ashby Village Calendar for more hikes to come from Healthier Aging.

Recommended Reading
   
"Using Tai Chi to Build Strength" by Jane Brody NYT, 9/12/18

"Men Get Osteoporosis, Too" by Jane Brody, NYT, 10/3/16

techtipsTech Tips
  
Need to edit text in a document or email?
This month the Technology Team offers Windows users a tip about how to cut and copy/paste text. Click here for the article!

Would you like personal assistance from Technology & Electronics Volunteers?
Volunteers can help you with a wide range of devices! To request service, email info@ashbyvillage.org or call 510-204-9200.

Would you like to learn about technology devices in a workshop setting?
Ashby Village and the UC Berkeley Retirement Center are co-sponsoring monthly technology workshops on the third Tuesday of each month, 10:30 AM - noon at Ashby Village. Open to members of either Ashby Village or UCBRC.

Workshops will provide guided, hands-on practice. The topics this fall are:
October 16  Dictation and Siri on iPhones: Using voice to make phone calls and send texts & emails.

November 20  Voice Commands on Android Phones: Using voice to make phone calls and send texts and emails.

December 18  Amazon Echo and Google Home: Introduction to voice-activated devices.

Workshops are by registration only. To register, email info@ashbyvillage.org or call 510-204-9200.

interestInterest & Neighborhood Groups
& Ongoing Activities 

Northtowns Kick-off Meeting!
 
Tuesday, October 9, 2 - 3 PM
Ashby Village Office, 1821 Catalina Ave., Berkeley

Northtowns (formerly Kensington Kaleidoscope) members and volunteers are invited to become acquainted with neighbors and to consider together how to structure the group. Bring your enthusiasm, expertise and energy. Tea and cookies provided. 
Please RSVP - email  Mary Graham or call 235-2834. 


Move classic: "Julius Caesar" 

Wednesday, October 31 1 - 3 PM
Ashby Village Office, 1821 Catalina Ave., Berkeley
 
To cap off reading the play over the last two meetings, the Shakespeare Reading Group is screening the 1953 production of Julius Caesar, and inviting all members and volunteers. The film, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, stars Marlon Brando, James Mason, John Gielgud, Greer Garson and Deborah Kerr.   
RSVP 
 
 
Wednesday, October 2, 2 - 4 PM: Thousand Oaks Hamlet Mac Users Group at Ken Nakayama and Kate Anderson's home, El 
Cerrito (accessible!). Contact Ken for details.
 
Wednesday, October 10, 3 - 5 PM: Science & Ideas GroupAshby Village Office, 1821 Catalina Ave., Berkeley. RSVP

Monday, October 15, 7 - 9 PM:  Non Fiction Book Club dis-cussing Yalom's "Love's Executioner." RSVP Tobey Klein.

Sunday, October 21, 2 - 4:15 PM:  
Documentary Film Watching : From This Day Forward, a t Mary  Goldstein's home (limited seating). RSVP

Tuesday, October 23, 2 - 4 PM: Ashby Village Technology Committee meeting, Ashby Village Office, 1821 Catalina Ave., Berkeley. For info and RSVP, email Maryl Gearhart.

Check the  online calendar for many more meetings and events. 
 
past-eventReflections from Past Events
"End Game" Documentary and Discussion: September 14
 
The Embracing Change Series presented this important film and discussion of the issues around hospice and palliative care.
 
One take-away from the discussion, led by Dr. Steven Z. Pantilat, is that family members need to try to attain a clear understanding of what the patient wants, in order to prepare for the difficult choices to be made. 

If you missed the event, the documentary is available from Netflix. 
   
Arts and Culture UPDATE: Saru Jayaraman, Before you eat out...July 22 
 
This summer, the Arts and Culture committee presented an engaging and energizing talk with Saru Jayaraman , founding president of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United) and Director of UC Berkeley's Food Labor Research Center.
 
In September, ROC United shared an exciting piece of news about the One Fair Wage ballot initiative Ms. Jayaraman spoke about with the Ashby Village audience.

Want to learn about the announcement and view the July 22 talk?
   
bulletinBulletin Board
Berkeley Home Match 
Bringing Students and Seniors Together for Mutually Beneficial Housing Opportunities
 
Are you interested in earning some extra cash from your spare bedroom, at the same time providing affordable housing to UC Berkeley graduate students?  If you are, the time to act is now. 

Ashby Village and Berkeley Retirement Center have established a pilot program seeking to match six Berkeley senior homeowners with six UC Berkeley graduate students, and we're seeking to make matches for the Winter/Spring semester.  We will be carefully selecting homeowners and students, and closely guiding the matching process to do our best to assure successful connections. 
  
This joint initiative is described on page 4 of the Fall 2018 issue of the UC Berkeley Retirement Center Newsletter  CenterPiece. If you're interested in learning more, contact homematch@berkeley.edu. ct

 
Patricia Sakai Art Exhibit 
"Wander/Wonder"

October 15 - November 9
Artist reception: Sunday, October 21,
2 - 5 PM


The LightRoom
2263 Fifth St. Berkeley (between Bancroft and Allston). Gallery is accessible.
Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 9 - 6
Limited street parking; carpooling suggested. 

Patricia Sakai, a founding member and current board member of Ashby Village, presents her first solo exhibit of prints and acrylic works on paper. She cordially invites the Ashby Village community to celebrate this milestone!

A portion of the proceeds from this show will benefit Ashby Village.

Election Coming Up - Check Your Voter Registration!  

The Elder Action interest group wants to help you make sure you r vote counts! With this year's midterm elections rapidly approachin g (just 6 more weeks!), take these three quick actions RIGHT NOW
to ensure that your voice is heard this fall:

Check your voter registration status  now a nd avoid any unfortunate surprises on Election Day. (This tool will also tell you what steps to take if your registration isn't listed!)


Elder Action Seeks Drivers  For Election Day
 

Ashby Village's Elder Action Interest Group (EA) seeks AV volunteer drivers who have been through the AV Volunteer Training to drive AV members--and seniors from South and West Berkeley who are registered voters--to and from their polling places on Tuesday November 6 (Election Day 2018).

If you are an AV vetted volunteer and would like to be a driver for this one time service, please contact Pat Carvalho.

*Elder Action, as an interest group of Ashby Village, a nonprofit 501c3, does not take positions on candidates or political parties. Our EA Proposition Information Sheets are part of our public education on important statewide issues and available upon request.
Offer of Safety Improvements
  
Does your home need critical repairs? If so, local non-profit  Rebuilding Together may be able to help with FREE repairs! You can qualify if you are a senior or a disabled homeowner with a yearly income below $62,750!

Safety improvements we can provide include installing grab bars, repairing unsafe steps or railings, repairing doors and locks, installing smoke detectors, replacing rusty water heaters, installing wheelchair ramps.

To find out more, call George (510) 644-8979 ext. 105 or email
   
Member Seeking Support for Coping with Alzheimer's
  
A member would love to be able to share experiences and coping strategies with other spouses whose partners are struggling with Alzheimer's. If you are interested in meeting on an informal basis such as for lunch, coffee, etc., please contact Larry at 510-649-0640 and leave a message. 
What are your phone issues?
  
Do you still use a traditional home phone and rely on it to work in case of an emergency such as an earthquake? Would you like to reduce the monthly cost of home phone service or are you frustrated with the service? Do you use an answering machine? Do you have multiple extension phones in your home, or do you only have cordless phone(s)? Do you have difficulty hearing conversations or entering phone numbers with a conventional phone?  

Retired electrical engineer and Ashby Village member with an interest in home electronics invites other members to discuss phone-related issues, and would like to provide recommendations and alternatives. Please contact Mike Safer at 510-527-4960 or
Live-in Assistant Available
   
Experienced assistant is offering help with driving, errands, iPhone and computer use, in exchange for accommodations. Kind, mature woman, Ashby Village volunteer who has worked directly with our members. Excellent references. Contact Debbie Schley 
503-505-4282
malcolmIn Loving Memory
  
Malcolm Daniel Zaretsky
1936 - 2018

Malcolm Zaretsky was born in Brooklyn, NY, received his BS from Brooklyn College, his PhD in biophysics and a Masters in Public Health from UC Berkeley. He taught and did research in neurobiology in Germany, at Princeton, at the University of Iowa, and at UC Berkeley, where for many years he did research in epidemiology and biostatistics.

Since 1961, Malcolm resided in Berkeley, where he was active in political action, including the civil rights movement and opposition to the war in Vietnam. When he was a graduate student he was closely involved with the Free Speech Movement, and he worked on voter registration in Mississippi during the "Freedom Summer" of 1964. Until poor health prevented it, he was an active traveler, hiker, back-packer, skier, and bicyclist. He always enjoyed spending time talking about politics with friends over a cappuccino.

Malcolm died suddenly on August 20 after some years of failing health. He is survived by his wife Alice Meyers; his son, Gideon; daughter Emily Siskin; his sister, Phyllis Wilson; four step-children; and a niece. 

Thank you to the Ashby Village volunteers who contributed to this issue of the Village Voices newsletter: Gert Weil, Richard Bermack




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