Programs

Art groups from the Lymes’ Senior Center will hold their third annual exhibit of their work for sale in the Old Lyme Town Hall (52 Lyme Street, Old Lyme) during November and December. The participating artists have been taking art classes with Sharon Schmiedel. Paintings, drawings, and mixed media pieces will be on display. Additionally, two members of the Center’s community, Janet Cody and Peg Sheehan, will add a “Touch of Craft” with their work in traditional punch needle pieces and handmade jewelry of silver, gold and semi-precious and precious stones respectively. Another member, Norma DeGrafft, will also display her scenic watercolors in the Lyme Town Hall. A portion of any sale will be donated to the Lymes’ Senior Center. An opening reception for this show will be held on Friday, November 9th from 4-6pm.in the Old Lyme Town Hall. Light refreshments will be served.

On Wednesday November 7th at 1:00pm, entertainer Marcy Conway – the girl with the guitar and the angelic voice – performs Showtunes. Marcy has been performing professionally since the turn of the century at senior venues and community events, and applying her musical skills in hospital and healthcare settings. Come listen, laugh, sing and share your musical memory at the Lymes’ Senior Center.

Join us on November 6th at 1:00pm as Jeffrey Engel presents the lecture “Leonard Bernstein, An American Treasure.” Bernstein was the most gifted, famous, popular and successful musician produced by America. He was a virtuoso pianist and conductor, a composer of music ranging from Broadway musicals to the classical repertory, an educator, a lecturer, an author and a TV personality. There was very little he couldn’t do extremely well. 2018 is the centenary of Bernstein’s birth and it is a good time to celebrate this American treasure. Mr. Engel has been giving lectures devoted to music history in colleges, libraries, retirement communities and other venues for some twenty years. He believes that such lectures should be entertaining as well as informative. To that end, his explanations are never too technical and he infuses his material with amusing anecdotes and musical illustrations. Since 2004 Mr. Engel has taught at Northwestern Connecticut Community College. He was a contributor to the 2001 edition of the “New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.” In 2010 he was selected by ‘Litchfield Magazine’ as one of the fifty most influential people in Litchfield County. www.jeffreyengel.net

How to make your photographs POP with Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) The guest speaker at the Monday, November 5, meeting of the Connecticut Valley Camera Club (CVCC) will be renowned professional photographer Lisa Cuchara, who will give a talk titled, “How to make your photographs POP with Adobe Camera RAW (ACR).” The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Lymes’ Senior Center, 26 Town Woods Rd., Old Lyme, CT. All are welcome. There is no admission charge.

There will always be times in our lives when we offer care to others. Friends, parents, children and spouses have life events happen to them. We by instinct reach out and offer to help.

When those life events happen a plan comes about, care and healing happen and the world rights itself at some point. During that time life becomes quite crazy and hectic.

We could do a lot of our caregiving better and easier if we plan ahead. When a baby is about to be born plans are made for a doctor, aftercare for mom, cribs and more are bought. Questions are asked and answered. Babysitters, daycare decided on.

But for lots of other caregiving situations no planning is done at all. We age, our parents age. We don’t talk about what will happen as we lose some of our independence. Who will care for who? What agency do we want and what don’t we want?

Now is the time to look at the home, the budget and other options. Is it safe to stay at home? Is a move needed? What resources are there to pay for help? What will insurance pay for? What insurance is available? Is there a care plan manager? Are there resources from an employer available?

Start looking for the answers to some of these questions now.

Plus, start planning how the caregivers will get some respite. It is not unheard of for the caregiver to die before the one they are taking care of. Caregiving is stressful, a lot of work, demanding and exhausting.

We all need time for ourselves and so do the caregivers. They need time away from the situation. Whether it’s going out to lunch, shopping, taking a nap, gardening or reading a book they need a break.

Take care of the caregiver so they can continue to care for their loved one.