Status: Cancelled

Boomers Helping Boomers

Fall 2023

Monday Morning

Moderator: Fred Bogin

Details

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this seminar is to provide FCLIR members (aka Boomers) with current information on a broad range of topics of great relevance to all of us dealing with the challenges of our “senior” years.

DESCRIPTION:

In session one I will review the appropriate resources for obtaining valid, evidence-based recommendations. As a physician I feel comfortable taking responsibility for the appropriate choice of sources by participants. Topics we may explore in the seminar include: recognizing scammers, support for technology challenges, financial planning, estate planning, physical health, mental health, cultural opportunities, and the practice of gratitude. Without covering any of these in great depth, participants can nonetheless research key themes and provide practical, understandable, and useful information. For example, a presentation on physical health might offer guidelines regarding diet, exercise, sleep. Practices such as Yoga, Tai Chi, and others could be reviewed. What is known regarding reducing the risk of cognitive decline? How can we minimize the risk of falls? How can we
support heart health? While most presentations will be by participants, I may invite several outside “experts” to speak on topics such as estate planning and financial planning.

ROLE OF PARTICIPANTS: Each participant will select a topic from the seminar outline to research and present a 20- to 30-minute presentation summarizing key insights gained through the research. As facilitator, I will review participants’ research plans. I will also encourage anyone with concerns regarding any of the presented material to contact me personally or raise their concerns during out group discussion.

RESOURCES:

I am going to strongly recommend that we all read (or reread) Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. I plan to share relevant articles from the Harvard Health Letter and similar resources of interest to our generation.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR: Fred is a retired pediatrician who has facilitated four seminars. I have a great interest in ways that we can support our optimum physical and mental health and how we can help each other stay safe and healthy.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Have you ever been scammed, or come close enough to be shaken? Are there things we can do to lessen our risk of developing dementia? How can we avoid a problem with falling? Should I review, or create a new, Estate Plan? Someone enlighten me about AI. What technological challenges would you like help with? How much sleep is optimal? What about naps? What can I gain from meditation, yoga, Tai Chi? How about a practice of Gratitude? Is my financial “house in order”? What forms of exercise are advisable, and how much should I attempt? Are there things I can do to strengthen my memory? What is Heart Healthy living? What questions/challenges would you like addressed?

“Ageing is not for sissies.” You may have heard that quote, and likely have some ways that the saying is relevant to your life. My goal for this seminar is to have our group address a broad cross-section of challenges that we frequently encounter. Participants will select a topic, research it, and present their findings to the group. The selection of source material will be critically important. In our opening session I shall review ways to distinguish “evidence-based recommendations” from unsubstantiated opinions and advice (e.g. the anti-vax movement). I shall discuss several reliable, responsible resources and give examples of unreliable resource material. I also plan to have several outside experts join us for topics such as Estate Planning and Financial Planning. I propose that each presenter (the seminar participants) end their talk with three “pearls” on their topic – i.e. bullet-form of major take-home points. At the end of the seminar we can distribute a collection of our weekly pearls for everyone’s take-home summary.

One additional source of relevant information that I am strongly encouraging participants to read or re-read prior to or during the weeks of our seminar is the book Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. If you have not read this book, I heartily recommend it, whether you join our seminar or not. I plan for us to discuss the book as a group, toward the end of our ten weeks. Depending on the number of participants in our group, leading a discussion of this book might be an option for one or two people.

My goal for seminars which I have led is that they be informative, enjoyable, and not overwhelming in terms of presentation preparation. In our initial session I shall ask participants to share what personal goals they have for the seminar. That discussion will be an important take-off point for our subsequent meetings. We will strive to present evidence-based material informative and relevant to this stage of our lives. I look forward to your active participation.

Fred Bogin