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LGBT Update
January
2015
 
In This Issue

Important Notice about Inclement Weather:

snow-shovel.jpg   

If the Rainbow Lunch Club is cancelled because of inclement weather (snow, icy conditions, etc.) the cancellation will be announced as "Elder Services of Worcester Meals on Wheels and Dining Centers are closed" on WRCN 830AM, WTAG 580AM, WSRS 96.1 and WXLO 104.5 radio stations. You may also call the Nutrition Office at (508) 852-3205 after 8:30 a.m. for cancellation information.

 

WLEN- Worcester LGBT Elder Network, is a joint effort of Elder Services of Worcester Area Inc.,Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging and the Worcester Senior Center, with ongoing collaboration with the LGBT Aging Project in Boston.

  

 Rainbow Lunch

Club Bus Service

 

Did you know that you can reach the Rainbow Lunch Club via public transport?

 

The outbound WRTA Route 8 bus from Union Station to the Greendale Mall stops on Shore Drive across from the Unitarian Universalist Church parking lot. The inbound trip from Greendale Mall to Union Station stops at the bottom of the parking lot.

 

A bus leaves the Union Station Hub at 11:30 a.m., from City Hall at 11:33, and arrives across from the church at Shore Drive and Holden Street at 11:43 a.m. Buses from Greendale Mall to Union Station leave the UUWC parking lot at 1:08 p.m. or 2:08 p.m. They arrive at City Hall at 1:26 and 2:26 and at Union Station at 1:30 and 2:30.  

  



  

 

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Elder Services and its programs receive funds administered through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs; and federal financial support under the Older Americans Act provided by the Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging. Other funders include the United Way of Central Massachusetts, Greater Worcester Community Foundation, Tufts Health Plan Foundation, local Councils on Aging & governments, participant donations, grants and individual support. We also contract with Senior Care Organizations, One Care Organizations and The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
 
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A time to re-evaluate

 

When you think about it, January 1st is just another  day. But because the calendar and the year change on that day, it's human nature to think about the year that has passed and even more about the year to come. The two selections below are a chance to re-evaluate two areas of life that are important to healthy aging: psychological health and management of chronic health conditions. In 'Need a therapist,' Joan Anderson, LGBT Peer Worker for WLEN, talks about how you can tell when the problems in your life have reached the level that it's time to seek professional help. 'My Life, My Health' is a chronic disease self-management workshop. It will be made up mostly of LGBT older adults with a few allies. (We need a minimum enrollment to be able to offer the course, so sign up as soon as you can.) And, as always, everyone is welcome to join us at the Rainbow Lunch Club on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.

 

Joan Anderson and Ben Labonte of WLEN want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year. We look forward to working with you during 2015.

 

Need a therapist?

 By Joan Anderson, LGBT Peer Worker

 

Contrary to popular misconceptions, you do not have to be "crazy", desperate, or on the brink of a meltdown to go to therapy. How does one know if you need therapy? Sometimes the signs are so obvious, but other times something may feel slightly off and you can't quite figure out what it is. So you trudge on, trying to sustain your busy life until it sets in that life has become unmanageable. Don't wait that long.

 

Here are some signs that you may need professional help:

  • Uncontrolled sadness, anger, or hopelessness.
  • Withdrawal from family and friends (isolation).
  • Abusing alcohol, drugs, food, sex, gambling, unable or unwilling to control these behaviors; self-medicating to stop the emotional pain.
  • Loss of a loved one or loss of something important to you, divorce, a significant break-up, or loss of a job, especially multiple losses at one time.
  • Suffering a major trauma: being the victim of a crime or accident, witnessing a crime or accident, surviving a natural disaster.
  • Loss of interest in things that once were important to you.
  • Lack of motivation and energy; no initiative.

If you have experienced some of these signs for more than two weeks and have been unable to cope, perhaps you should consider seeking professional help. Another indication that you may need help is if other people have noticed that you haven't been yourself and have shared that with you. Especially be aware of this if more than one person has commented that you haven't been yourself. Seeking professional help may be the healthiest choice you could make in the new year. Psychology Today Magazine has self-tests for many diagnoses: http://www.psychologytoday.com/tests These are only tests to get an idea if you need to seek help. Please do not use them to diagnose yourself without professional help!

 

My Life, My Health

 

WLEN is happy to join forces with the Healthy Living  Center of Excellence and Elder Services of Worcester Area to offer the Chronic Disease Self-Management Workshop. Classes meet once a week for six Mondays from 9:30 a.m. until noon, beginning January 12,, 2015, running through February 16. A bad weather day has been built in on February 23. There is no cost for the class and a snack will be provided. Classes will be held at Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester at 90 Holden Street.

 

The workshop will equip participants with tools to become stronger self-advocates in their health care and management of their medical conditions. For more information, contact Joan Anderson at ESWA at 508-756-1545, ext. 404, or [email protected]. You may also visit: healthyliving4me.org.


   

Colleen Massey, director of operations of the Pharmacy Outreach Department at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, will speak to diners at the January 14th meeting of the Rainbow Lunch Club. She will speak about managing medications and some of the things you should know about how your prescriptions interact with each other.

Lunch on the fourth Wednesday, January 28th, will be followed by social time. We ask people 60 and over for a donation of $2.50. The charge for younger guests is $5.50. 

Lunch is always served at noon. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester  is located at the corner of Holden Street and Shore Drive in Worcester, next to Bancroft School. Access to the parking lot is off of Shore Drive. See the sidebar for information about WRTA bus service.

  

Reservations are required a week in advance, so we can be sure to have enough food for everyone who shows up. You may call Joan Anderson at (508) 756-1545 ext. 404 or email her at [email protected]. You may also join the Rainbow Lunch Club Meet-Up Group at http://www.meetup.com/Rainbow-Lunch-Club/ and reserve from the meet-up page.

   

MENUS:
January 14th: Soup du jour, Turkey Cape Cod sandwiches, salad, and dessert.  January 28: Beef & Bean Chili, Brown Rice, Broccoli, and cookie. 
   
Upcoming Dates:  

2015: February 11th, February 25th

March 11th, March 25th