Today’s News

Attend “Seeing Alzheimer’s Differently” on May 7, 2013

Seeing Alzheimer’s Differently

 Alzheimer’s Association, The Jefferson Educational Society and LifeWorks Erie
proudly extend an invitation to our community to learn from a nationally recognized
expert in dementia care 

 On May 7, 2013,  the Alzheimer’s Association will hold two great education options entitled Seeing Alzheimer’s Differently at The Jefferson Educational Society in Erie, PA located at the Brith Sholom Congregation at 3207 State St., Erie, PA 16508. Seeing Alzheimer’s Differently will feature a nationally recognized expert in the Alzheimer’s community. Bob DeMarco, Founder and Editor of the Alzheimer’s Reading Room who will share how his experience caring for his mother allowed him to ‘See Alzheimer’s Differently’ and which led him on the path from burden to joy.

The first session is for direct care workers and healthcare professionals and is designed to be a short, cost effective option to obtain continuing education. Continuing education credits are available for Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists & Professional Counselors through the National Social Worker Association – PA Chapter for 3 CE hours. This session is also a great way for family caregivers to gain additional insight on how to approach individuals with dementia and how to deal with caregiver stress. The cost to attend is $30 per person/CE’s additional.

The second session is for community members who may or may not know someone with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. This session is designed to give the audience a deeper understanding for how Alzheimer’s disease and dementia impacts the individual and their families as well as the community at large. The cost to attend is $10 per person/ $15 with guest.

For questions please contact Kristen Bires at 814-456-9200 or via email at kbires@alz.org.

The Music of Your Life: Play It Again

As we age, and really at any age, music helps to define our memories.  We still like to listen to “our music”, perhaps dance to the beat, or be swept away by our favorite “crooner.”  Many of us not only enjoyed hearing the music of our life as we were growing up—but played a musical instrument along the way.  Some of us had hopes to play in a band; some of us just were attracted to a particular instrument; still others of us were made or encouraged to play by parents and teachers.   A great number of us wanted to learn to make music, and put off taking music lessons until we had more time or money or both.

Perhaps you still have the same instrument you used to play in your attic or closet, and from time to time as you bump into it, or see it, you still think someday you will take it out and play again. Or perhaps you never made time to learn to play a musical instrument as you had hoped, but still have a yearning.  In both instances, LifeWorks Erie is offering you the opportunity to make good on these promises to yourself.   Our New Horizons Music Project not only has openings for individual lessons and group play in wind and string instruments if that is where your interests lie, but is also expanding its venue and developing a folk band to include guitars, drums, trumpets, and just about anything else. 

Every Thursday at 4pm, Charles Zebroski , program director and instructor, and Dave Hetterick , instructor (both retired music teachers) guide their students in making music.  These students are a group of older adults who come to the center for lessons and the joy of playing together.  Included always are lots of laughter, camaraderie, refreshments, fun and good music.

There has never been a better time to treat yourself to what you want to do now. In addition to fulfilling a “someday maybe” on your bucket list—-it makes good health sense to play or learn to play a musical instrument.  There is a lot of documented evidence that playing (or learning to play) a musical instrument is good for brain health, and great medicine for emotional and psychological health.

Studies have indicated that playing music is stimulating to the brain and may be significantly helpful in preventing unwanted changes in brain function which include forms of dementia.  So what a bargain—good medicine and good fun.

Join us at New Horizons and have the time of your life playing the music of your life.

You are welcome to drop in and speak to the teachers or LifeWorks Erie staff and learn more about New Horizons.  You can visit LifeWorks Erie anytime (406 Peach) or call Marie at 453-5072, ext. 18 to obtain more information.

In Loving Memory of Eli J. Adams

In loving memory of Eli J. Adams, father-in-law of LifeWorks Erie’s Fitness Coordinator Nancy Adams.

Eli J. Adams, 85, of Erie, passed away Saturday, February 23, 2013 at Veterans Affairs Medical Center. A full obituary can be viewed here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/erietimesnews/obituary.aspx?n=eli-j-adams&pid=163255687&fhid=8454#fbLoggedOut.

Memorial contributions, if desired, can be made to John Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation.

Online condolences may be made by signing the guestbook at www.goerie.com/obits.

LifeWorks Erie Won the Generosity Footprints Contest!

Thanks to the help and generous acts of LifeWorks Erie members and friends, we were the winner’s of Loyal Christian Benefit Association’s (LCBA) Generosity Footprints Contest, which ran from October 1, 2012 to January 31, 2013. We would like to thank everyone who participated in the contest – we are truly grateful for your help. We would also like to thank LCBA for selecting LifeWorks Erie to represent Northwest Pennsylvania in the contest.

As the first prize winner, we will be receiving a prize of $10,000 that will help fund programs and services offered at the LifeWorks Erie Center.

Again, thank you to everyone who participated in the Generosity Footprints Contest on our behalf!

In Loving Memory of Richard “Dick” J. Gleason

In loving memory of Richard “Dick” J. Gleason, father of LifeWorks Erie’s Executive Assistant Margie Sargent, a gift has been made to LifeWorks Erie by Dr. William and Rochelle Krowinski.

Richard “Dick” J. Gleason, 74, of Bradford and St. Augustine, Fla., passed away Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center in Jacksonville, Fla. A full obituary can be viewed here: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/erietimesnews/obituary.aspx?n=richard-j-gleason-dick&pid=162293090&fhid=15319#fbLoggedOut

Memorial contributions, if desired, can be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Online condolences may be made at www.hollenbeckcahill.com or by signing the guestbook at www.goerie.com/obits.

New Horizons Music Project Session Beginning January 17th

Come Make Music With Us!

The next session of the New Horizons Music Project of LifeWorks Erie begins on Thursday, January 17th. Drag out that old instrument from your closet or learn to play a new instrument because you always wanted to.

Lessons and group practice take place from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. The session starts January 17th and continues for 8 weeks. The cost for this 8 week session is $99 for members of LifeWorks Erie and $114 for non-members. A limited number of scholarships are available for new participants.

For more information or to register please contact Marie Heberlein at 453-5072, ext. 18.

Through the Looking Glass: Part II

Ed Grout and Tom Ferraro, two well-known and well-respected Erie based artists, in partnership with LifeWorks Erie, are leading participants on an extraordinary adventure this winter: a journey of self-discovery and self-appreciation, drawing on their own and participant’s social networks. After the success of the project during the summer, we are offering this exciting art residency project a second time beginning January 30^th. The classes take place Wednesdays January 30 –March 20 at 2:00 pm at LifeWorks Erie, 406 Peach Street.

This project allows participants to reflect on the people, places, events, and technology that have shaped the fabric of their social network. The workshop will ultimately culminate in the creation of an interactive collaborative art piece which will be displayed at the LifeWorks Erie Center. Activities during the workshop will include storytelling, drawing, painting, and mosaics.  

This workshop is being offered for FREE, participants need only to purchase their own sketch pad and pencils. To register or for more information, call Marie at 453-5072 or email lifeworks@lifeworkserie.org. Stop by the center anytime Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm to see the art piece that was created during the summer session.

Support for this program is provided in part from an ArtsErie Project Grant made possible by community contributions to ArtsErie and the Erie Arts Endowment and is an ‘Artist Residency’ provided by ArtsErie’s Arts in Education Partnership.’ The Arts in Education Partnership is a program of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency.  State government funding for the arts depends upon an annual appropriation by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and support from the National endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.  The Arts in Education Partnership is administered in this region by ArtsErie.

Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshops being offered at LifeWorks Erie

Do you have or do you take care of someone with a chronic condition? If you do, you will want to take advantage of a new FREE workshop being offered at LifeWorks Erie. Thanks to funding from the Department of Aging, and in conjunction with GECAC, LifeWorks Erie is offering Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs, beginning January 23rd and 24th. Be one of the first in Erie County to experience this motivating workshop that has made a difference in the lives of people all over the world. Learn how to build confidence in your abilities and master the skills it takes to manage your own chronic condition. The program is open to all chronic illnesses and teaches techniques that can help with the management of any chronic condition.

This course has been proven to reduce disease complications and improve symptom management and results in fewer outpatient visits and hospitalizations and the adoption of a healthier lifestyle. This program does not replace or conflict with existing programs of treatment but rather enhances them and increases their effectiveness.

The workshop is taught by Stanford University certified leaders, who themselves have chronic diseases. Subjects include:

• Techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation
• Appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and endurance
• Appropriate use of medications
• Communicating  effectively with family, friends, and health professionals
• Nutrition
• Decision making
• Evaluating new treatment options

This program is two and a half hours, once a week, for six weeks. The first workshop will begin January 15th. Classes are highly interactive: mutual support and success builds the participants’ confidence in their ability to manage their health and maintain active and fulfilling lives. Classes are filling quickly; call Sharie Nowosielski at 459-4132 for class times and locations.

Participate in our Lifelong Learning Survey

As you may know, we have launched a series of short courses, workshops, and seminars this year in an effort to encourage “lifelong learning.” The LifeWorks Erie Lifelong Learning Institute has been certified nationally by Road Scholar. Our efforts are inspired by research which supports the relationship between intellectual stimulation/curiosity and overall health and wellness in the fifty and over population. To date, our programming has received excellent reviews but we are anxious to make it even better. To that end we are asking that you take a moment to respond to this short questionnaire by telling us what kind of programming you would like to see more of.

Just click this link to be taken to the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6QBS73B

Thank you in advance for your feedback, we appreciate your participation.

The Ethnic Holiday Lunch-Time Series

Beginning today, with the Italian Tradition, we are offering a Lunch-Time Series focusing on Ethnic Holiday Foods and Traditions. Each class will include a lunchtime meal featuring specific ethnic foods eaten during the holiday season, followed by a discussion and demonstration of ethnic holiday customs.
 
The Ethnic Holiday Traditions lunchtime series schedule is as follows:
 
Thursday, December 6: Polish Tradition with Regina Jaworski
Tuesday, December 11: Jewish Tradition with Dan and Evelyn Landsberg
Thursday, December 13: German Tradition with Mr. and Mrs. Bill Schubert

Today’s lunch menu is antipasto, ravioli, roast chicken, salad, and pizzelle for dessert. For the menus of the rest of the series, please visit our events page at www.lifeworkserie.org.
 
Please join in the celebration of our collective heritage—enjoy and learn and enrich your own personal Christmas celebration.
 
All lunches will be served at 11:30 am with the presentation following. The cost of each presentation is $6 (including lunch). To register, please call Marie Heberlein at LifeWorks Erie at 453-5072 ext. 18 or email mheberlein@lifeworkserie.org.