Newsletter September-October 2021
Note From Skyline Village Chicago President Phyllis Mitzen
Dear Friends,

For the first time since March, 2020, Skyline Villagers enjoyed two live events in July and August. The Beatles Sing Along in late July on the steps of the Museum of Contemporary Art was an hour of pure joy. Thank you Skyline Board members and volunteers, Regan Burke, Evelyn Shaevel, D Clancy and Sandy Herman. We are filled with gratitude for the father & son duo, Curt & Chris Powell who led us in rousing versions of twenty-plus Beatles tunes. Thank you to the MCA, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Amada Senior Care for their contribution of water, visors and fans.
Beatles Sing Along, July 25, 2021, Museum of Contemporary Art
Pinstripes, August 25, 2021, Lunch & Bocce Ball
In late August we gathered at Pinstripes for a cool indoor lunch and bocce ball. It’s sweet sorrow remembering everyone enjoying each others’ in-person company. Though we’re all vaccinated, Dr. Michael Ison informed us in a recent Zoom that mitigation efforts are back in our lives— masking, social distancing and sparse indoor gatherings (see below). But hope springs eternal in our hearts! Watch for details on our next planned in-person outing—the holiday sing along in December 2021.

—-Phyllis Mitzen, President Skyline Village Chicago 
Thank you for supporting Skyline Village Chicago
Please consider making a donation to help us keep our virtual doors open.
Annual Dues $75 per individual, $100 per couple
Become a member or donate online: http://www.skylinevillagechicago.org
Mail check: Skyline Village Chicago, PO Box 11606, Chicago, IL 60611
Our 501C3 status affords members tax deductions to the extent allowed by law.
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PAST ZOOM EVENTS
Dr. Michael Ison
Dr. Michael Ison, Professor of Infectious Diseases and Surgery at Northwestern Medicine, has presented updates on covid-19 throughout the pandemic. In one of his most sobering talks yet, Dr. Ison discusses the delta variant, the booster and the future. Watch his compelling talk here. Dr. Ison on Covid:

Yikes! What Next!

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UPCOMING ZOOM EVENTS
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Skyline Village Chicago is using Zoom to connect with members and friends. Please join us at one of the following. 
Thursday, September 9, 2021
4:00-5:00 pm

Ald. Hopkins is one of Skyline’s most popular speakers. He’s back to present a lively and informative conversation about safety, real estate development, new Wards and quality of life in our neighborhood.

Register HERE

Questions for Alderman Hopkins? Email info@skylinevillagechicago.org
Monday, September 13 2021
4:00-5:00 pm
Unconscious Bias

What is it? Is it really biased if it’s unconscious?
How does it manifest itself in all of us?

Lisa G. Willams, Diversity Expert Strategist, explains unconscious bias, provides examples of how unconscious bias surfaces systemically and
personally and how it undermines our decisions despite our best intentions.
Zoom Program is free.

Register HERE
In Partnership with
Center for Life & Learning

Thursday, October 21, 2021
11:30am-12:30pm

Don’t Fall In Love with Your Part D Prescription Drug Plan

Medicare Part D: What’s new for 2022? Kate Paz, Director of Mather Programs Without Walls
Esther Craven, SHIP Representative

Program is Free.
Women’s Salon Zoom
Second Tuesday of Every Month, 3:30-5:00 PM
SVC members gather in conversation monthly to increase their awareness of cultural and societal notions on aging. If you’re interested in joining us and are not already on the Zoom list, contact info@SkylineVillageChicago.org and write SALON on the subject line.
Monthly Zoom Chat
Check in for a backyard over-the-fence chat with new friends and old. If you’re not already on the Zoom list, contact info@SkylineVillageChicago.org and write Monthly Chat on the Subject Line.
SKYLINER EXPEDITIONS

It’s spike time again. Here’s wishing all of you boosters, warm weather for outdoor dining and the best of health during September-October and beyond. In mid-October, please send stories and pictures of your latest adventures to judy.karlov@gmail.com for the last issue of 2021.

Washington State
By Lenore A. Holt-Darcy
I finally got to see our West Coast son and granddaughter after 18 months of Covid lockdown. I added trips before and after to the wonderful state of Washington, first to the area called the Palouse, in the easternmost part of the state. In the Palouse the hills are rolling and the area is the lentil capitol of the US. I enjoyed sunny days and warm temperatures; it was delightful. The most photographed view is from Steptoe Butte, where you can see the rolling hills for miles.

A few days later I went to Olympic National Park. Like other national parks it is huge, covering much of the state’s Pacific coastline. It is home to several Native American tribes; the rainforests within the Park are named after them. I hoped to capture the quiet forest beauty and the forest floor.
Sketching In Chicago
By Anna Rappaport
I’m very happy to be back in Chicago for the summer and sketching many interesting things around the city. I’m an active participant in the Chicago Urban Sketchers group.

I love to go to Lincoln Park. One of my favorite spots is South Pond, where there are great views of the park and the skyline. The first drawing is "Chicago viewed from Nature Boardwalk in Lincoln Park.” This was sketched from just outside of Cafe Brauer.

The second drawing is from a meet-up of Chicago Urban Sketchers at Atlas Stationers on Lake Street. The drawing is of the sketchers sitting outside on the sidewalk. The third drawing is from a meet-up of Chicago Urban Sketchers at Chase Plaza.
LIVABLE CITY
A city’s livability directly reflects the relational health of neighbors.
Sunday, September 5, 2021
5:00-11:00 am

Enjoy the quiet of Lake Shore Drive as 20,000 cyclists replace cars on the Drive https://bikethedrive.org 
Walk with a Doc

Local medical students will lead 45-min weekly park walks
and give short talks on health-related topics.

LINCOLN PARK
Thursdays at 6PM

Meet at the Standing Lincoln statue and enjoy Lincoln Park’s south end features, including the lush Nature Boardwalk, Fountain Girl gardens, and public artworks.

For more info and Registration Click HERE 
Don't forget your whistle!
Winter's Coming!
Demand Walkable Winters!
Act now! Sign the petition demanding the City of Chicago prepare a plan and allocate the resources to make municipal sidewalk snow clearance a reality by next winter. It’s not too early!
Need Help With Technology?

9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday
888.713.3495

Free or low-cost smartphone and data plan access for people who qualify for Medicaid

Free or low-cost technology access (e.g. Lifeline)

Helping People Make Decisions Regarding Technology Use
FROM OUR MEMBERS
Do Climate and Other Societal Risk Matter for Retirement Planning?
By Anna M. Rappaport, FSA, MAAA

Climate change is a huge challenge globally. The Society of Actuaries(SOA) conducts research on a wide variety of risks and their impact on various stakeholders. Recent SOA research focused on households includes Financial Perspectives on Aging and Retirement Across the Generations. Recent SOA supported research, The 14th Annual Survey of Emerging Risks, focused on big societal issues.
Climate change was the number 1 risk in the Emerging Risks survey for the last two years, indicating a high level of awareness on the part of professional risk managers. Some climate risks affect people over very large geographic areas and others have an impact in much more limited areas. Some create devastation for local communities homeowners. Others affect society in general since they influence the atmosphere, the water or food supply.

Climate change and retirement expectations
The SOA included questions in the 2021 generations survey to understand how climate change is affecting personal future concerns about retirement. The survey found that:
  • Worries about climate change impacting retirement is a highest among Millennials. They are more likely to believe climate change will impact their health, increase the likelihood of damage to property, and influence where they will live in retirement.
  • Half of Millennials report that they are concerned with the effect climate change will have on the financial security of their retirement. Only 16% of the Silent generation report the same. • Worries around higher costs of living, taxes, and insurance costs are the top areas that all the generations think will be impacted by climate change.
  • Millennials are significantly more likely to think climate change will negatively impact their health, increase the likelihood of damage to property, and influence where they will live in retirement.

Climate change is not an instantaneous occurrence, and its effects are magnified and compounded over time, which may help explain why Millennials are most concerned.

Societal Risks and the Survey of Emerging Risks
2020 was a year that greatly increased focus on societal risks. The experience of 2020-2021with the pandemic reminded us how important resilience is and how valuable it is to be able to adapt to unexpected circumstances.

The 14th Annual Survey of Emerging Risks was completed in November, 2020. Twenty-three risks in five categories were included.

The top five emerging risks in 2020 were as follows:
  • Climate change – number 1 in 2019 and 2020 – rose to the top 5 in 2018
  • Cyber/networks – number 2 in 2019 and 2020 – was number 1 in 2017 and 2018
  • Pandemics/infectious disease – number 3 in 2020 – first time on the top 5 list – this was the risk with the biggest move between 2019 and 2020
  • Disruptive technology – number 4 in 2020 – down from number 3 in 2017 to 2019
  • Financial volatility – number 5 in 2018 to 2020

Risks that were included in the top 5 in any year from 2017 to 2019, but not in 2020 included demographic shifts, terrorism, regional instability and asset price collapse.

The emerging risks are not generally explicitly considered in retirement planning. Both COVID-19 and climate change have been very important to all Americans recently. One of the lessons of the last decade is that societal risks matter and more thought is needed about how to incorporate them in planning. Climate change is clearly one of those risks that will affect many many lives. Two good places to start when thinking about climate and retirement planning is considering climate issues in deciding where to live and how to invest your money.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Many of our friends are conducting online classes and events. Click into their newsletters and websites for information.

  • Forward Chicago Website
  • The Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy Website
  • Beth Finke MasterTeachers™: Website
  • Center for Life and Learning 4th Presbyterian Church: Website
  • Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease: website
  • Rush Generations Center for Excellence in Aging:  Website
  • Streeterville Organization for Active Residents: Newsletter 
  • AARP Chicago Newsletter
Sounds Good/Good Memories
Sounds Good/Good Memories Virtual Choirs Yes, there is a virtual choir you can join. No audition. Check out their website or contact Jonathan Miller at (630) 441-5157. 

Here’s a sample of what a virtual choir does: The Storm Is Passing Over 
NEW & RENEWING MEMBERS
NEW 
Judy Erwin
Donna Gutman
Betty Signer
 
RENEWING 
Nina Appel
Jack Herman
Sandra Herman
Patricia Leshuk
Pamela Passis
Anne Rossiter
Jim Ross
Charles Swanson
Judy Swanson
Annual Dues:
$75 Individual, $100 Couple
Send a check to: Skyline Village Chicago, P.O. Box 11606, Chicago, IL 60611 
 
Join online:
Email us:
The Skyline Village Chicago community of older adults engages
in cultural, educational and social programs. We are active, informed
and connected advocates within our unique, vibrant high-rise neighborhoods.