Note: All the below programs have been canceled.

First program, a film screening, to be held at the life plan community on April 3

LONGMEADOW— Glenmeadow has developed five very varied educational presentations—from a primer on cannabis sativa, more commonly known as marijuana, to a program offering insight on people living with dementia. 

The workshops will be offered this spring at venues across the region as part of Glenmeadow’s Learning series.

“We have a mission to serve older adults throughout Greater Springfield, and our free Learning programs provide one avenue for enhancing lives by offering knowledge as well as the chance to meet new people and socialize,” says Anne Thomas, our president and CEO. “The Learning program also provides one example of how we operate as a socially accountable organization.”

The programs are free and open to the public; because seating can be limited, registration is required by contacting Jazlyn Wanzo at jwanzo@glenmeadow.org. For more information, or to register online, visit glenmeadow.org/events.

The following are the spring Glenmeadow Learning program offerings.

Lives Well Lived: A Jewish Film Festival Screening, Friday, April 3, 1:30 p.m., at Glenmeadow, 24 Tabor Crossing, Longmeadow. Lives Well Lived celebrates the wit, wisdom, and experiences of adults aged 75 to 100 years old. Through their intimate memories and inspiring personal histories, forty people share their secrets and insights to living a meaningful life. Presented in partnership with the Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival.

Marijuana, Pot, Weed: What You Need to Know About Cannabis, Tuesday, April 14, 10 a.m. to noon, at the Storrowton Carriage House, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Now that the use of marijuana is legal in Massachusetts, area residents are hearing more about it, but for many, the drug remains a mystery. Our speakers from Insa in Easthampton, will offer an overview on both medical marijuana and cannabis for general consumers and will discuss the difference between the two, what CBD is, why people use marijuana, how it can be ingested as well as smoked, and the benefits and risks. 

Combatting Loneliness: A Fair for Volunteers and Those They Serve, Friday, May 8 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Longmeadow Community House, 735 Longmeadow St., Longmeadow. This fair will feature roughly 20 leaders of nonprofits that serve older adults in Greater Springfield and also offer volunteer opportunities. The leaders of these organizations will speak about how they help older adults in Greater Springfield and volunteer opportunities they have available. For a complete list of participating agencies, visit glenmeadow.org/events after April 1. 

The Collector’s Apprentice: An Author Talk, Thursday, May 21, 2 p.m. at Glenmeadow, 24 Tabor Crossing, Longmeadow. New York Times bestselling author B.A. Shapiro will read from her novel, The Collector’s Apprentice, about the lengths to which people will go to feed their obsessions. Set in Paris in 1922, the story centers on 19-year-old Paulien Mertens, who finds herself broke and alone. Presented in partnership with the Springfield JCC.

Erasing the Stigma: Developing Empathy for Those Living with Dementia, Thursday, June 18, 10 a.m. to noon at the Phillip H. Ryan Health Science Center, Room 222, 1 Denslow Road, East Longmeadow. This presentation by Laura Lavoie, Glenmeadow’s director of life enrichment, will help area residents better understand dementia and develop empathy for those who live with the disease. Lavoie will educate community members on what it’s like to live with dementia, sharing tips and techniques on how to break down barriers and be more compassionate. Enhancing dementia care services is a strategic focus for Glenmeadow. 

Glenmeadow has also developed and announced its spring, summer, and fall Getaways trips, which begin in March and run through mid-October. The day trips and theater excursions include transportation, the performance ticket, and a meal. Registration is ongoing. Sign-up is first-come, first-served. Visit glenmeadow.org/events or call 413-567-7800 for more information.

To register or request a brochure with all upcoming Glenmeadow Learning and Glenmeadow Getaways offerings, contact Jazlyn Wanzo at jwanzo@glenmeadow.org. For more information, or to register online, visit glenmeadow.org/events.

Established in 1884, Glenmeadow is an accredited life plan community; it provides independent and assisted living at its campus at 24 Tabor Crossing in Longmeadow and expanded Glenmeadow at Home services throughout greater Springfield.  

To learn more about Glenmeadow and its history and offerings, visit www.glenmeadow.org.

About Glenmeadow 

In the 1800s, elderly individuals without family or means were sent to live at what was called “the poor farm.”  In 1884, a group of civic leaders raised funds among themselves and other area families and purchased a house on Main Street in Springfield’s south end, establishing The Springfield Home for Aged Women. Quickly outgrowing that house, land was purchased on the corner of Chestnut and Carew streets, where a new home was constructed and opened in 1900.  In 1960, the name was changed to Chestnut Knoll, and, in 1992, it began to admit men.  

In 1993, the organization purchased a 23-acre parcel in Longmeadow to build a new community that would provide both independent living and assisted living in one building with various common areas.  This was a new concept known as a continuing care retirement community. Existing residents from the old Chestnut Knoll property were moved to the new campus in 1997. Shortly after the move, the board voted to change its legal name to Glenmeadow to coincide with the name being used by the developer of the property.  

Continuing care retirement communities are now referred to as life plan communities, responding to the needs of the aging population with new opportunities for care, plus creative, educational and personal exploration. Glenmeadow offerings, which include everything from senior living options and handyman services to personal care and travel programs, are provided at its Longmeadow campus and across the region through Glenmeadow at Home. Glenmeadow strives to fulfill its mission of nurturing the whole person in mind, body, and spirit.

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LONGMEADOW—Glenmeadow will offer a screening of the German film “To Life!” on Friday, March 24 from 1:30-3 p.m. at the life plan community.

In this uplifting drama, two disparate wounded souls—an aging Polish-born cabaret singer and a young German man driven by a secret—form a bittersweet bond. Ruth and Jonas find themselves at a crossroads, without a home and suffering from romantic loss.

Flashbacks divulge the older Jewish woman’s wartime sorrows, while Jonas’ current vulnerability comes to light. Through shared parallels and camaraderie, and the lusty Yiddish music of yesteryear, this improbable duo rekindles their sense of purpose.

This program is offered in partnership with the Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival. It will be offered at Glenmeadow at 24 Tabor Crossing, Longmeadow.

The program is free, but seating is limited, and registration is required; call (413) 567-7800 or email learning@glenmeadow.org. Visit glenmeadow.org/learning for more information.

Glenmeadow Learning is one of many free programs Glenmeadow offers to members of the wider community. And these programs represent only one facet of the life plan community’s mission to serve seniors across the region and to operate as a socially accountable organization.

Established in 1884, Glenmeadow is a nonprofit, accredited life plan community; it provides independent and assisted living at its campus at 24 Tabor Crossing in Longmeadow and expanded Glenmeadow at Home services throughout greater Springfield.

To learn more about Glenmeadow and its history and offerings, visit www.glenmeadow.org.

About Glenmeadow

In the 1800s, elderly individuals without family or means were sent to live at what was called “the poor farm.”  In 1884, a group of civic leaders raised funds among themselves and other area families and purchased a house on Main Street in Springfield’s south end. Quickly outgrowing that house, land was purchased on the corner of Chestnut and Carew streets, where a new home was constructed and opened in 1900.  In 1960, the name was changed to Chestnut Knoll, and in 1992, it began to admit men.

In 1993, the organization purchased a 23-acre parcel in Longmeadow to build a new community that would provide both independent living and assisted living in one building with various common areas.  This was a new concept known as a continuing care retirement community.  Existing residents from the old Chestnut Knoll property were moved to the new campus in 1997.  Shortly after the move, the board voted to change its legal name to Glenmeadow to coincide with the name being used by the developer of the property.

The post Glenmeadow Learning Offers a Film Screening appeared first on Beetle Press.