UPCOMING EVENTS(more info below) May 6 – Beyond the Binary: Gender & Pronouns with Suzanne FordMay 20 – Understanding DementiasMay 26 – Over the Moon celebration*Every Mon. & Thu. – Spahr Senior GroupsEvery Tue. – Trans/Non-Binary Support Group  * Social Committee Event

Covid-19 News for Seniors(see below) For the first time in a long time, I feel comfortable dropping the Covid News section down lower in these emails. We are not out of the pandemic yet, much is still uncertain, and yet all the seniors I’m in touch with are now vaccinated and seem to be educated about continued precautions. For more on continued precautions, click here.  May we all be safe & well! Bill Blackburn

To join the Spahr Senior GroupMondays, 7 to 8 pm, &Thursdays, 12:30 t0 2 pm,click the purple button below the Butterfly Heart or here: 

Join Group

New participants are warmly welcomed!

Topical Thursdays12:30 to 2 pm April 29 What Is Missing in Modern Life? We rely on zoom to meet during the pandemic. (What would we do without zoom?) Modern medicine makes our lives better. We are surrounded by conveniences we couldn’t have imagined in our youth. Yet some things have been lost in the translation to now. What would benefit us and our world that those modern conveniences have displaced? And is there a way we can find them again if we try?  May 6 Beyond the Binary:Gender and PronounsMost of us grew up in a culture that claimed there were only two genders – female and male – and each came with expected behavior patterns, even though most of us didn’t fit into those narrow confines. Join us on May 6th when we’llbe joined by Suzanne Ford, the President of The Spahr Center Board of Directors, to talk about the ways people are breaking free of that gender binary and the freedom of expression that comes along with it. There may even be some liberation that comes to the rest of us though their pushing the boundaries. And yes! We’ll learn about those seemingly-tricky pronouns that will help us better interrelate with youth and others who express themselves beyond the binary! Coming soon: May 13: Nancy FacilitatesMay 20: Understanding Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias Conversational Mondays7 to 8 pm We catch up with each other on how we’re doing and have unstructured conversations focused on listening from our hearts and deepening community.

The Social Committee has been consistently offering fun events to offset the boredom of the pandemic. They want to celebrate your birthday if you’ll let them know when it is. They offer a women’s coffee plus a number of times to gather on zoom over games and conversation. On May 26, they bring us an Over the Moon Celebration, a cocktail/mocktail and appetizer zoom group honoring the Full Moon and Lunar Eclipse. More information soon.  To sign up for their emails, click here. To see the Social Committee’s April Calendar, click: here.Watch for their calendar for May soon!

Men and Boys Mental HealthA Focus Group InvitationMen, you can help Marin County gain deeper understanding of how to structure mental health resources for us by participating in a 1-hour focus group:Ages 65+, Tuesday May 25 @ 4 pm << Note new date!Ages 45 to 64, Monday April 26 @ 6 pm Community participants will get a $25 gift card. By adding our voices, we will ensure that Gay, Bi and Transmen’s needs & perspectives be part of the response.Contact: kconnors@marincounty.org << Corrected address

Covid-19 News for Seniors BEWARE POST-VACCINATION SCAMS!Scams offering monetary and gift rewards for those taking post-vaccination surveys are efforts to fraudulently gather personal information such as credit card numbers. Moderna, Pfizer, and J&J are NOT sending out these offers. Avoid them!

FEMA Assistance Programs Related To Covid-19:FEMA will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020. (No income- or citizenship-related requirements.) Call 844/684-6333. More info here. Free legal assistance to low-income people affected by the pandemic includes help with hospital bills, estate administration, problems with landlords, and much more. Call 888/382-3406. More info here.

Do you know people who may need help making an appointment for vaccines, especially if they are not online or need multi-lingual or transportation help? Please let them know of this resource:Marin Access Services Call Center1 (833) 641-1988CA Relay use 711

Caregivers and family caregivers of seniors are now eligible to be vaccinated. Let me know of these situations – bblackburn@thespahrcenter – and I can send a letter to qualify them for inoculations now, even if they don’t currently meet other qualifications for the shots.

Building Community in the Midst of Sheltering-in-PlaceSee old friends and make new ones! Join us!The Spahr Center’s LGBT Senior Discussion Groupscontinue everyMonday, 7 to 8 pm& Thursday, 12:30 to 2 pm on zoom

To Join Group by Video using Computer, Smart Phone or TabletJust click this button at the start time, 6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:Join GroupAlways the same link! Try it, it’s easy!

To Join Group by Phone CallIf you don’t have internet connections or prefer joining by phone,call the following number at the start time,6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:1-669-900-6833The Meeting id is 820 7368 6606#(no participant id required)The password, if requested, is 135296# If you want to be called into the group by phone, notify Bill Blackburn at 415/450-5339

California Department of Aging ResourcesThe CDA has a website that is packed with information and resources relevant to the lives of seniors in our state. From Covid-19 updates to more general care for age-related health issues, access to legal assistance to getting home-delivered meals to help with housing, you may well find answers to your questions by clicking: here.

Spahr’s skilled therapists are available to work with seniors on a sliding-scale basis. Write toinfo@thespahrcenter.org. A Bisexual Support Group is forming with The Spahr Center, facilitated by a therapist. Let Bill Blackburn know if you are interested. Whistlestop, renamed Vivalon, provides access to resources including rides for older adults. Please note: there is a 3-week registration process for the ride program so register now if you think you may need rides in the future. They also offer free classes on zoom including zumba, yoga, chair exercises, & ukulele! Click here. Adult and Aging Service’s Information and Assistance Line, providing information and referrals to the full range of services available to older adults, adults with disabilities and their family caregivers, has a new phone number and email address: 415/473-INFO (4636) 8:30 am to 4:30 pm weekdays473INFO@marincounty.org

The Spahr Center has opened its Food Pantry to seniors who need support in meeting their nutrition needs. We want to help! Items such as fresh meats, eggs and dairy, prepared meals, pasta, sauces, and canned goods are delivered weekly to people who sign up. Contact The Spahr Center for more information: info@thespahrcenter.org or 415/457.2487

Questions? Assistance?  We have resources and volunteers for:grocery deliveryfood assistancehelp with technology issues such as using zoomproviding weekly comfort calls to check in on youtherapy with Spahr therapists on a sliding scale basisplus more! Bill BlackburnSenior Program Coordinatorbblackburn@thespahrcenter.org415/450-5339