Programs & Special Events

Offered by the Windsor County Community Health Clinic

Assistance will be available for, but not limited to, the following programs:

• Medicare for new enrollees – Parts A, B and D
• 3SquaresVT
• Fuel assistance
• Social Security enrollment
• Medication affordability and grant opportunities

---

Thompson Cafe Soup Days

 

We’re trying something new! On Fridays our regular noon meal will have a slightly different format. Chef Ryan will be offering a special soup and salad buffet. Diners can join us at noon as they usually do, but anyone is welcome to come and go between 12 – 1 pm to dine in or pick up for take-out. Chef Ryan will offer two types of soup, rolls or crackers, and a hearty salad. Try something new with us at the Thompson Cafe on Fridays!

 

Have fun while learning Italian!  This beginner’s class will get you started on learning the basics for speaking, reading, listening and writing in Italian.  Each weekly session includes a variety of means to help you grow your understanding of the language so you are able to use it for practical purposes.  Lots of tools are available to support your learning both in class and at home. Class day to be determined for mid-February depending on interest.$72 for a 6-week session. Interested students please contact Instructor Veronica Delay at veronica.delay@gmail.com or 802-457-2253.

---

Strengthen and Stretch Class

 

This popular class incorporates aerobics, stretching, strength and weight bearing exercises. The benefits of these exercises include strengthening, bone building, balance and overall conditioning and coordination. Cost is $3.00 per class.

---

Keys to the Valley Housing Study

 

Our region is participating in a housing study called Keys to the Valley. The Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission, Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission, and Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission are partnering to better understand the housing challenges facing our communities and to develop strategies for tackling those challenges. Please join us to learn more about the project and share your experiences with housing issues in the region.Following this talk, Deanna Jones, Executive Director at The Thompson, will present on the Homeshare Project. The Thompson Center is training to be a Homeshare satellite office. Homesharing can be a rewarding way to find housing and connect people who are living alone and willing to share a home as long as they meet the basic requirements. Come to this talk to learn more on the benefits of homesharing.

---

Grocery Tour with Sheryl C. Hoehner, MS, RDN, LDN

 

Do you or a family member have type II diabetes or pre-diabetes? Do you want to learn more about healthy eating, shopping, and cooking? Have you ever wished you could visit the grocery store with a registered dietitian? This is your chance. We will tour Mac’s grocery store in Woodstock with Sheryl C. Hoehner MS, RDN, LDN. Sheryl will take us through the store making stops to discuss carbohydrate counting, the benefits of including fiber, healthy fats and the best options for meat and seafood just to name a few.We’ll then head back to The Thompson Center to taste a few items we picked up along the way.Please register in advance as there will be limited enrollment.

 

---

NEW! Gentle Yoga Class

 

In this new class series, Linda will guide her students through a gentle yoga practice with the option of being seated in a chair or on a floor mat. With practice, benefits of yoga are numerous and include but are not limited to: increased muscle strength and tone, improved respiration, energy and vitality, stress management, and protection from  injury. No previous experience is required. Please bring mats if you have one, and wear loose and  comfortable clothing. Pre-registration is requested but walk-ins will be welcome.

 

Linda has over 30 years of experience as a physical therapist at Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center MAHHC) and Ottauquechee Health Center (OHC) and has practiced yoga for over 20 years. She is currently enrolled in an intensive 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Evolution Physical Therapy and Yoga Studio in Burlington VT.

---

---

Monthly Art Project with ArtisTree

 

Come celebrate the season inspired by Valentine’s Day where we invite you to make a felted heart stuffed with lavender to bring calm and joy to yourself or someone you love. This class will involve some simple hand sewing skills – appropriate for beginners and seasoned sewers are welcome!

Please sign-up in advance. 457-3277.

---

Foot or Hand Reflexology

 

Experience Reflexology techniques to de-stress and promote a balanced, wholistic well-being. 30 min/$30, Loose clothing recommended. Call in advance for your 30 minute appointment.

---

Global Day of Clay at ArtisTree’s Ceramics Studio

 

Powered by you, Global Day of Clay is a truly worldwide celebration of ceramics in all its forms, connecting professional ceramicists, artists, academics, and everyday ceramics lovers everywhere to explore new ideas, innovations and works that are shaping the future of the art form. In celebration of the annual Global Day of Clay, ArtisTree invites us to join them in the Ceramics Studio. Receive one pound of clay and hand build anything you like with their tools. Projects will not be fired, but the clay is yours to keep.

---

Spa Day at The Thompson

 

Once again, our friends from the Woodstock Inn and Resort Spa are offering complimentary limited manicures, chair massages, and reflexology sessions. These free appointments for your much deserved self-indulgence will fill up quickly so make your reservations soon and please remember to cancel if you can’t make it.

---

Fall Prevention Clinic at The Thompson Provided by Upper Valley Rehab Physical Therapists

 

Falls are not a normal part of aging and can result in more serious injuries over time, but the risks can be reduced by working on all the possible causes.

 

Upper Valley Rehab will be offering a Fall Prevention Clinic at the Thompson Center and will provide free comprehensive fall risk Screenings for people who have fallen or who have a fear of falling. At the Clinic/Assessment, a licensed physical therapist will ask participants to complete a fall assessment screen which will include a history of previous falls and what might be causing them. Additionally, a therapist will screen participant’s gait, balance, range of motion, strength and sensation and ask questions regarding home environment, fear of falling concerns, and pertinent medical history that can contribute to falls. This total assessment will include your screen results, which can be sent to your primary care physician, and recommendations for treatment if needed. Each comprehensive assessment is about fifteen minutes and will require an appointment.

---

Grief 101

 

As a bereavement coordinator, the phrase heard most often is, “is what I’m feeling normal?”  In this one hour session, we will discuss anticipatory grief, normal vs. complicated grief, as well as talk about self-care techniques for those coping with grief.

---

 

Dementia is a progressive brain disease that is projected to affect 13.5 millions Americans. Today, over 5 million Americans are living with the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease. The Thompson Center and The Scotland House are co-hosting three informational sessions for those looking for information and resources. These workshops will be presented by Jessica Kalb, Regional Vice President of TLC HomeCare, and Positive Approach to Care (PAC) Certified Trainer. More resource information can be found at https://www.alz.org/vermont

 

 

Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. Join us to learn about the impact of Alzheimer’s, the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia, stages and risk factors, current research and FDA approved treatments available for some symptoms, and Alzheimer’s Association resources.

 

 

This presentation will include tips and strategies for having difficult but important conversations about changes in memory, thinking or behavior that may be related to dementia. This is for people who are  concerned about someone experiencing changes in memory, thinking, or behavior that may be related to dementia.

 

The content of these workshops is appropriate for anyone, including those with early stage diagnosis, however, these are group participation based sessions and some of the audience conversational content may be difficult for those who have a dementia diagnosis. 

 

 

Come paint and learn about painting in ArtisTree’s beautiful indoor and outdoor settings. Receive instruction in how to work with water-based mediums, or work on projects of your own choice amid supportive and congenial company. Materials are included and all levels of experience are welcome. Transportation is provided from The Thompson upon request.

 

 

This presentation examines the many meanings of maple sugaring. Maple is enormously important to Vermont’s economy, ecology, and heritage. Champlain College professor Michael Lange will discuss sugaring ethnographically, based on over five years of research among sugarmakers all over the state, to learn from them what sugaring really means to Vermont.Rather than discussing the practical aspects of sugaring, such as how to tap a tree or how an evaporator works, his talk focuses on how and why maple has become so important to Vermont’s identity, and how and why it helps us shape who we are as Vermonters.

 

 

Water aerobics is a great low impact way to work your body in the water.  This class works on cardiovascular training, strength training with water weights and noodles plus flexibility.  We listen to great music and have fun moving our bodies to their full capacity with the safety of the water around you.

---

Smart Phone Basics

 

Do you have a new smartphone or a phone you don’t really know how to use? Join us for an hour-long  workshop of smartphone basics.  Learn a few things and maybe you can even share a tip or two. No prior knowledge required – Please bring your smartphone (make sure it is fully charged) and your login and passwords for your phone. Please pre-register by calling The Thompson.

---

Moving Forward with Parkinson’s Disease: New Treatments and Avenues of Research

Presented by Diane Sherman, Coordinator, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Resource Center

 

Instructor Baird Morgan will be here to teach this four hour instructional course which is the nation’s largest refresher course designed specifically for older drivers. Registration begins at 8:45 am.

 

Your driver’s license is required and your AARP card for members.Course Fee: $15.00 for AARP members and $20.00 for nonmembers. Checks should be made out to AARP Smart Driver and need to be mailed in prior to class date.

 

Please call the Thompson Center to sign up in advance, 802-457-3277.

---

Advance Directives

 

Would your loved ones know your about medical care if you were unable to speak for yourself? There is a legal document called an Advance Directive that you can complete to give guidelines about your wishes and appoint someone to represent you if you are not able. We have arranged for a trained and caring volunteer to be at the Thompson Center every 2nd Monday from 1pm – 3pm. These volunteers will take the time to explain both the document and the simple process used to make your wishes known.  The most important part of this process is talking to those you love about what matters most to you. You can call 457-3277 to schedule an appointment.

---

Coffee is on at The ThompsonJoin us in the Morning!

 

At The Thompson, we enjoy the pleasures of good conversations and fellowship at our community noon meal – why not join us for coffee?

 

We invite our visitors to come in for complimentary coffee and muffins beginning at 8:30 am any weekday morning. Bring a friend, neighbor, business associate, or perhaps you will meet someone you know. Enjoy the comfort of our living room or dining room and enjoy a visit over a good mug of coffee.

---

Are you trying to find a Bridge Group?

 

Open Bridge is available for experienced players at The Thompson on Wednesdays, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm at no cost. Participants can enjoy a noon lunch for a suggested donation of $5.00 for those 60 and older. Contact: Ginny Eames at ginnyeames51@gmail.com or Shari at The Thompson at 457-3277.

 

The Quechee Duplicate Bridge Club plays on Mondays at 1:00 pmCost: $8 per person, light refreshments and comfortable venue.Contact:  Karen Randle, Membership Coordinator 802 225-6640 or randlebridge1430@gmail.com for more information.

---

Mah Jongg at The Thompson

 

We have been thrilled by the enthusiastic response to Mah jongg and our group is growing! If you are interested in joining, please contact Gail Stickney by emailing glavinstickney@yahoo.com or call 457-2581.