October 29, 2025

Hi Village Friends, 

These past few months have been both busy and energizing as I’ve had the chance to meet many of you and plan for the year ahead. I’m proud of what this community has built together and optimistic about where we are headed. The world around us continues to change quickly, and if we stay focused on being a community for members and by members, I know we will keep moving in the right direction.

This issue of The Navigator explores insights from wellbeing science, showing how small habits and shared experiences can improve health and happiness. At the Village, we see this in the joy of conversation, learning, and connection that strengthens our sense of belonging every day.

I hope you’ll join me for our second Village Table gathering at the Village office on Wednesday, November 12 from 1pm - 2:30pm. We’ll talk more about the ideas in The Navigator and share what brings a sense of awe to our own lives. Attendance will be limited to six members to keep the discussion personal and engaging, so please let us know if you would like to attend by reaching out to me at: molly@thevillagechicago.org. Hope to see you there! 



Molly Conley 

Executive Director

A New Way to Think About Awe. 

"Don't underestimate the power of goosebumps."

- Dr. Dacher Keltner

Last year in The Navigator, we reported that the Harvard Business Review had something important to say about awe: "Like gratitude and curiosity, awe can leave us feeling inspired and energized. It’s another tool in your toolkit and it’s now attracting increased attention due to more rigorous research."  

Building on past studies that suggest experiences of awe can relieve stress and boost wellbeing, there is a new study described as "the most robust to date to document the clear health benefits of the experience of awe." It was coauthored by UC Berkeley's Dacher Keltner, one of the leading scientists on awe and conducted among people who met the CDC's definition of long Covid. (An estimated 17-20 million people in the US have been diagnosed with long Covid.) 

People who participated in awe activities had less depression than those in the control group and the awe group reported feeling less stressed and enjoyed increased levels of wellbeing than those in the control group.

Co-author of the study, Yale's Maria Monray says, "This work suggests that finding brief moments of awe in daily life can improve mental health,” (Click here for some ways to do this.) It also suggests to the world of health care that we need to integrate the many wonders that bring us awe — nature, music, visual art, stories of moral beauty — into the systemic care of minds and bodies.” 

Loose Ties Go Online

 "The true power of social networks lies not in who we already know, but in the connections waiting to be made."

- Jessica Koehler, PhD 

Loose ties (often called weak ties) are the people in our lives who play an important role in creating a sense of belonging. These connections provide frequent, low-stakes social interactions that make us feel seen and part of a community. It's the people you see at Starbucks, in your building lobby, or at a Village discussion group. Most of this happens in person and it makes us feel at home.

But what about our online life? We have weak and strong ties there as well. Older adults spend around 3 hours per day online, exclusive of television. And some, known as "digital seniors" as much as 6 hours. 

What a gift! The digital age offers an unparalleled opportunity to leverage weak ties with an infinite capacity for connection and learning. And yet paradoxically, the algorithms of AI are constantly prioritizing and curating what we see based solely on past behavior. It limits our exposure to "loose ties" - people we know (but not well), new interests, and new ideas.

We’ve been trained to expect relevance, rather than determining it for ourselves.  But even with the powerful impact of algorithms, we still have agency. Here are some techniques recently published in Psychology Today to expand online loose ties: 

Engage beyond your circle: this signals to AI that you value a wider range of content.

1. Follow and interact with new voices: Be intentional about following people outside your immediate network. Engage with their content to keep their insights in your feed.
   
2. Seek out diverse content: Manually visit pages, groups, and profiles that don’t naturally appear in your feed.
   
3. Be the connector: Share opportunities and ideas with people in your extended network. Strengthening weak ties is a two-way street.

Skillcations - A Better Way to Relax?

"Skillcations are truly the stuff of memories." - Huff Post

A skillcation is a vacation where you spend time learning something new. The result can be more reviving than lying by a pool. Psychologist Sabine Sonnentag of the University of Mannheim says, “Some rest is essential for heath and happiness, but is not the only avenue to becoming recovered.”

To feel psychologically refreshed, what often works better than rest, are activities that involve challenges called “mastery experiences.” The challenge level sweet spot is just beyond your current ability—difficult enough to require effort but not so hard that you give up.

Activities like this are also good for brain health. Novelty and variety engage different brain areas. For example, learning a language uses different neural networks than learning a dance. Here are some enticing ideas:

• Learn the art of pasta making, cheese production, or truffle hunting in regions like Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily or cheese-making in Wisconsin.

• Traditional crafts in North Carolina including weaving, pottery, and needlework.

• Craft your own tools and pieces in an immersive blacksmithing course at Forge- with Intention in Colorado. Head to Ireland's Aran Islands for traditional knitting or Fair Isle sweater design in Scotland's Shetland Islands. 

• Take a guided foraging trip in the Saint Anna Archipelago of Sweden or at many places in the US.

• Learn fashion photography at Water Tower Place (A skillcation staycation!)

The Village Chicago Joins the Cook County Assessor’s Office in Support of Senior Property Tax Relief

On Thursday, October 23, The Village Chicago was invited to take part in a press conference at the Cook County Assessor’s Office focused on bipartisan proposals to help older adults stay in their homes and age with dignity.

Key measures include automatic renewal of the Low-Income Senior Freeze Homestead Exemption, expansion of the Senior Citizen Property Tax Loan Deferral Program, and raising the income threshold for eligibility.



We’re proud to represent our community and contribute to important conversations that help older adults thrive where they live. You can learn more about the proposed legislation by clicking here.

Welcome Gia Schultz, New Director of Health and Wellbeing!

The Village Chicago is thrilled to announce that Gia Schultz has joined our office team as our new Director of Health and Wellbeing.

With over fifteen years of experience in small business, healthcare, and nonprofit management, Gia brings a deep commitment to process improvement and comprehensive program management to her role as Director of Health and Wellbeing at The Village Chicago.

“I grew up in the social and environmental justice movements and learned early on how important community is. I know the impact community building can have on improving our lives and strengthening our connections to one another.”

Gia is an active volunteer and serves her community as a healthcare administrator with Queer Care, Inc a nonprofit which offers care coordination and support for those undergoing gender affirming surgeries. She also helped found and lead both Go Green Morton Grove and Morton Grove Pride and formerly served as a commissioner in her village.

Gia holds a Masters in Healthcare Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Gerontology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Originally from California, Gia now lives with her family in the Chicago area where she enjoys native gardening, frequenting her local sauna club, and year-round swimming in Lake Michigan.

Updates from the 2025 Annual Board Meeting

At the Village board’s Annual Meeting on October 20, the board recognized the contributions of four retiring board members with special thanks to Judith Gethner, Kathleen Kolodgy, Lois Stuckey, and Carlos Terrazas who are stepping down after years of service to the Village through their board and volunteer engagement.

The board also welcomed two new members: Hugh Kremer and Marilyn Pearson. 

New Officers

Officers and Executive Committee are David Baker, Board Chair; Joan Goldstein, Vice Chair; Thomas Eley, Treasurer; Lizbeth Metzger, Secretary; and Karen Terry.

Are you...

Looking for a new career, about to retire, wondering what's next? Seeking companions that share your interests? Searching for a way to utilize your abilities? In need of occasional help? New to Chicago? Worried about changing needs? An adult child with aging parents?

Village members are part of an inclusive, multigenerational community, connected to others and to the resources that support growth and wellbeing as we navigate life after 50 together.

Learn more about the Village by calling us at 773.248.8700 or click here to download the membership application form.



Officers

David Baker,

Board Chair

Joan Goldstein,

Vice Chair

Thomas Eley, Treasurer

Lizbeth Metzger, Secretary

Karen Terry

Board of Directors

Don Bell

Jacie Brandes

Stefanie Clark

Hugh Kremer

Tom Pasker

Marilyn Pearson

Vamse Kumar Subbiah

Advisory Council

Neelum T. Aggarwal, MD

Robyn L. Golden, LCSW

Joanne G. Schwartzberg, MD

Executive Director

Molly Conley

The Village Chicago is a community of people who choose to share interests, experience, and friendship as we age. Together with a professional staff, volunteers, and an extensive network of services and service providers, we offer new social connections, lifelong learning, opportunities to find purpose, and support through life transitions.  Everyone needs a Village - who's yours?

2502 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60614. 773.248.8700

www.thevillagechicago.org