Fall is a season for beginnings, and coming together with friends old and new. This fall, there’s no better place than the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan’s Wechsler Center for Modern Aging to discover how to make connections while expanding your mind and horizons.
The Wechsler Center’s signature event, the 8th Annual Symposium for Positive Aging, on Monday, October 30, offered in a hybrid format, is a great place to start. Themed “Conversation on Connection and Community,” the symposium features a panel of notable people from a range of fields, who are redefining conventional retirement and creating their most productive lives in their later years. The panel will be moderated by Josh Sapan, author of The Third Act and former CEO of AMC Networks. The day will also feature a movement segment led by the JCC’s Senior Director of Health and Wellness Caroline Kohles, a presentation on Moving Toward Positive Relationships, and lunch for those attending in person. The symposium takes place from 10 am-3 pm. Click here for more information and to register.
Friends are made in all sorts of classes at the JCC. Weekly discussion groups offer participants the chance to connect with likeminded peers both virtually and in person, depending on the program. Join us for conversations on social and political issues, foreign affairs, or a variety of literary genres. A number of individual programs on a variety of topics, ranging from moments in history to health, legal, and safety matters, offer insight and guidance as well. Our Older Adult Lounge groups, which meet two afternoons a week in person and once virtually, are open forums, facilitated by JCC staffers, where participants are invited to share their opinions on topics they select.
Under our Aging with Purpose umbrella, you’ll find programs to help navigate issues that older adults often face but don’t know where to turn to, including advance care planning and living your later years with resilience and spirit.
If games are your diversion of choice, look no further. From mah jongg to canasta to chess, the JCC offers sessions at all levels. Come with friends or come alone; JCC staffers are happy to help you find you a seat at our tables.
The Wechsler Center is home to a varied selection of arts and culture offerings. A popular weekly drama program culminates in a performance attended by friends and family, and older adults with a penchant for singing join voices in a weekly choral gathering. Knitters and visual artists create beautiful handiwork in regular programs as well.
Trying to keep up with the current technology? Courses on all things tech are offered both virtually and in person, as is technical support at no charge from an experienced team of volunteers.
Sharing technical knowledge is just one way members of the Wechsler community are encouraged to volunteer. Engage@Wechsler offers opportunities for group and individual volunteering, both on the JCC premises and the surrounding community.
Connections and friendships take place on JCC-guided explorations as well. JCC outings + trips are always fun and informative. This fall, trips include a visit to Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate, in Hudson Valley, NY; a Nosh and Stroll Tour of Jewish foods on the Lower East Side; and an exploration of the artist Judy Chicago’s work at the New Museum. Another highlight is a day trip to the JCC’s Camp Settoga in Pomona, NY (bus transportation provided) for a day of camp-style fun. If birding’s your thing, join fellow nature enthusiasts closer to home for birdwatching tours of Central Park.
The Memory Project, for families struggling with mild cognitive impairment, gives caregivers the opportunity to participate in a weekly support group to increase their coping skills while their loved ones enjoy an engaging recreational program. A second program, The Memory Cafe, brings both caregivers and family members together for socialization and a group activity.
Health and wellness are important at all stages of life, but become of extra concern as we age. The Wechsler Center is partnering with Mount Sinai on a series of Ask the Geriatrician lectures on topics of interest to the older adult community. A wide array of fitness and wellness programs, ranging from meditation to tai chi to balance classes help keep older adults healthy and strong, both mentally and physically. And special discounted memberships are available for the JCC Health Club and Pool.
Register online for any of these programs in person, by phone, or via the Wechsler Center’s fall program guide, which features interactive links to learn about and register for all Wechsler programs. For more information on these and other programs offered by The Wechsler Center for Modern Aging, visit mmjccm.org/wechsler, email boxoffice@mmjccm.org, or call 646 505 5708.
