We started this week’s meeting by reflecting on our visit to Casa de Manana last week. The story about Alice, her activism in social justice issues in the past and present, and her current engagement in her community at age 98 was remarkable. The seniors we met at Casa de Manana were amicable, and I hope to be able to interact with them more at the upcoming dance.
We then had a group presentation on the book Selling the Fountain of Youth by Arlene Weintraub. This book provides a profound insight into the anti-aging industry: the secrets behind the doors of compounding pharmacies, the extreme measures people are willing to take to defy aging, and how the industry has flourished without scientific evidence for the effectiveness and/or safety of anti-aging medicine. Prior to reading this book, I did not know that the ubiquitous anti-aging products originate from an industry that is loosely regulated and yet has garnered support from many health professionals and celebrities. Despite some weaknesses that weaken the author’s argument against the anti-aging industry, this book has succeeded in educating the reader on the anti-aging industry that is usually invisible to the public and encouraging consumers to question the too-good-to-be-true advertisements and negative age stereotypes they are bombarded with.
Next, our class split into small committees to plan activities, decorations, and food and raffle for the dances at Casa de Manana Retirement Center and Gary and Mary West Center. We discussed the rebranding of the dance, the activities that would be appropriate for seniors, and the theme for decorations. Our decorations committee came up with different dance themes, one of which was The Great Gatsby.
The class reconvened for a guest presentation from the founders of the Get a Cane organization, a nonprofit that collect donated mobility devices and distribute them to people who otherwise cannot afford the mobility devices they need. The organization has served many people, including seniors and refugees with financial struggles, and the effort that the founders and members of the organization put into serving the community is truly inspiring.
Half of the class then presented on their extraordinary persons – their grandparent, parent, or neighbor. The stories about these extraordinary persons were compelling and taught me important lessons on the values of family, courage, sacrifice, and kindness. I am glad and grateful that the Oral History project provided a chance for these remarkable stories to be told, recorded, and preserved over time.
We then had a group presentation on the book Selling the Fountain of Youth by Arlene Weintraub. This book provides a profound insight into the anti-aging industry: the secrets behind the doors of compounding pharmacies, the extreme measures people are willing to take to defy aging, and how the industry has flourished without scientific evidence for the effectiveness and/or safety of anti-aging medicine. Prior to reading this book, I did not know that the ubiquitous anti-aging products originate from an industry that is loosely regulated and yet has garnered support from many health professionals and celebrities. Despite some weaknesses that weaken the author’s argument against the anti-aging industry, this book has succeeded in educating the reader on the anti-aging industry that is usually invisible to the public and encouraging consumers to question the too-good-to-be-true advertisements and negative age stereotypes they are bombarded with.
Next, our class split into small committees to plan activities, decorations, and food and raffle for the dances at Casa de Manana Retirement Center and Gary and Mary West Center. We discussed the rebranding of the dance, the activities that would be appropriate for seniors, and the theme for decorations. Our decorations committee came up with different dance themes, one of which was The Great Gatsby.
The class reconvened for a guest presentation from the founders of the Get a Cane organization, a nonprofit that collect donated mobility devices and distribute them to people who otherwise cannot afford the mobility devices they need. The organization has served many people, including seniors and refugees with financial struggles, and the effort that the founders and members of the organization put into serving the community is truly inspiring.
Half of the class then presented on their extraordinary persons – their grandparent, parent, or neighbor. The stories about these extraordinary persons were compelling and taught me important lessons on the values of family, courage, sacrifice, and kindness. I am glad and grateful that the Oral History project provided a chance for these remarkable stories to be told, recorded, and preserved over time.