UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS:
Download and print the January 2019 Program here
TAX ASSISTANCE AT THE THOMPSON
Do you need assistance with your tax return? The Thompson Center will offer individual tax preparation for seniors and low income persons. AARP Tax-aides will complete your 2018 taxes free of charge during scheduled appointments on Mondays, February 4 through April 1 including President’s Day. On the day of your appointment, please come early to fill out a questionnaire.
Please bring: Valid picture ID and Social Security card for the taxpayer and spouse, copies of income tax returns you filed last year, proof of all income, W-2 forms (if you worked), 1099-R forms and statements for pensions and annuities, Social Security received, interest and dividend income, state rebates, IRA income and copy of your 2018 property tax bill. If you are filing for a Renter’s Rebate or Homeowners Property tax rebate, you will need proof of income for everyone in your household. For rental rebate, you will also need Form LC-142 from your landlord.
Please call 457-3277 soon to schedule an appointment. Appointments are limited and will fill up quickly!
Jewelry Repair at The Thompson
Every Tuesday, 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Is there jewelry in your jewelry box that needs a new clasp, or to be restrung? Yael Taylor, volunteer receptionist at the Thompson and local jewelry artist, is available to help for a nominal fee. Bring your jewelry to Yael to see if she can help you.
Aging and Driving * Rescheduled from January 9th*
Tuesday, February 26, 1:00 pm
Presented by Valori Petrin, Occupational Therapist, Kendal at Hanover
In this presentation, we will discuss how aging affects driving, describe the skills needed to continue to drive safely, the warning signs of unsafe driving and what to do if a person you know is no longer safe to drive.
Valorie Petrin has been an OT at Kendal at Hanover for the past 20 of her 22 year career, and has completed over 400 driving safety screens. She is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist and is commonly known as the “Adaptive Equipment Queen” among her patients and peers.
Fall Prevention Clinic at The Thompson
Provided by Upper Valley Rehab Physical Therapists
*Rescheduled from January 9*
Wednesday, January 23 & February 13, 9:00-10:30 by appointment
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.
Please wear or bring the shoes you wear most often inside and outside of your home. Please bring devices
History of Brookfield’s Floating Bridge
Thursday, January 17, 1:00 pm
Join us for a presentation on the history of Brookfield’s famous Floating Bridge, a 300-foot span of Vt. Route 65 that crosses Sunset Pond. Perry Kacik, member of the Brookfield Historical Society Board of Trustees and chair of the 2015 Floating Bridge Opening Celebration committee, will discuss the bridge’s history from its first construction – one of strapped together logs in 1820 – to its eighth reconstruction in 2014-2015, as well as all the high jinks that have surrounded this unique landmark through the years.
Foot or Hand Reflexology
Offered by Deborah Neuhof, Certified Reflexologist
January 22, 9:30 – 12:30 pm, Call for February Dates
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.
Birthday Lunch Entertainment!
Thursday, January 24, 1:00 pm
Fiddler Adam Boytce and vocalist-guitarist Merv Combs will perform our favorite tunes immediately following our Birthday Lunch celebration.
Tech Tutoring by Norman Williams Public Library
January 29, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Please bring your own device
We are happy to continue offering individual IT tutoring at The Thompson Center thanks to Norman Williams Public Library and Meg Brazil. Meg is offering 1:1 assistance for any one of your devices: cell phone, lap top, iPad or tablet – free of charge. Forty-five minute appointments are available and you can book more appointments as you need them. Please call to schedule yours at Thompson 457-3277.
Thinking About Advance Care Planning
Presented by Bayada Hospice
Wednesday, January 30, 1:00 pm
Advance Care Planning is about more than simply filling out the forms and filing them at the lawyer’s office or in your safe deposit box. It involves asking yourself important questions about what you value and what really matters. It involves thinking about how you want to live your life to the very end. And, it involves talking about it. Join Cynthia Stadler APRN, Community Liaison for BAYADA Hospice to discuss Advance Directives and Advance Care Planning. She will clarify terms and explain the various forms, talk about how to make the forms a living document, and how to increase the probability your wishes will be followed at end of life.
In addition to this talk, The Thompson Center offers an Advanced Directive Clinic on the second Monday of each month. Trained volunteers are available by appointment to explain the document and answer any questions.
Talk, Listen and Connect (TLC) Group
Organizing and Planning Meeting
Tuesday, February 5, 1:00 pm
Are you interested in a once a month gathering to talk about things that are meaningful to you, to get to know others on a more authentic level and to offer and receive mutual encouragement and support? You are invited to a planning meeting on February 5th to share your interests and shape what this group will look like. The TLC Group will build on the popular Talk and Listen Group at the Thompson Center that was organized and facilitated by Linda Grant for ten years. Richard Schramm, a retired teacher and the facilitator of the Amazing Grays, at the Woodstock North Chapel, will be working with the Center to start this new group. All are welcome, and we encourage you to take this opportunity to share your stories and get to know others in a safe and supportive group setting.
Monthly Art Project with ArtisTree at The Thompson
Wednesday, February 6, 1:30 pm
We will paint bowls for the Empty Bowls Project – an international project to fight hunger, personalized by artists and art organizations such as ArtisTree, on a community level. We’ve done this project before and everyone has a great time for a great cause. Please register in advance by calling The Thompson.
The 10th annual Empty Bowls Project dinner will be held on March 31 at The Pomfret Town Hall. All funds will benefit The Woodstock Food Shelf and Change the World Kids.
ADVANCE DIRECTIVE CLINIC
2nd Monday of the Month
1:00-3:00 pm by appointment, please schedule in advance
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.
Mah Jongg at The Thompson AND now at NWPL
We have been thrilled by the enthusiastic response to Mah jongg and our group is growing! The Thompson Center and Norman Williams Public library have collaborated to provide even more availability to enjoy the game. We will offer Mah jongg on Tuesday and Thursday from 1:30– 3:30 pm at The Thompson for all players. Mah jongg lessons for beginners and for those who would like a refresher course will take place at NWPL on Fridays at 1:30 pm.If you are interested in joining, please contact Gail Stickney by emailing glavinstickney@yahoo.com or call 457-2581.
Open Pickle Ball at Woodstock Athletic Club
Mondays & Wednesdays, 8:30 – 10:00 am
Fridays – schedule to be announced. Call the Athletic Club at 457-6656 or The Thompson
Cost:$10 per 1.5 hr court time session. Walk-ins welcome and equipment is provided. Ride service available from The Thompson with advance notice.
World War III– How the Cold War Might Have Ended
Presented by OSHER@Dartmouth Instructor, Jurgen Ewert
Mondays, February 4 – March 25, 1:00 – 3:00 pm. Cost: $20, minimum of 5 students
Pre-register by calling The Thompson
This course is based on Robert Stone’s film, World War III, – a 1998 German alternate history television pseudo-documentary – and class discussion will examine the state of the world in 1989 and the potential for a gloomy end to the Cold War.
Instructor Jurgen Ewert writes:
After leaving East Germany in August 1989 I was not expecting any substantial changes. Michail Gorbachev’s rise to power in 1985 had changed the politics of the Soviet Union. Hungary opened the border to Austria in June 1989 and the East German government was desperately looking for help from the Soviet Union.
Gorbachev had made it clear at the 40th anniversary of East-Germany in October, 1989, that the Honecker regime could not expect help from its “Big Brother”.
I pondered on the following:
How did the hardliners in the Soviet Union assess the situation created by Gorbachev’s politics of Glasnost and Perestroika?
Were there plans for a coup d’état in 1989?
Was there a possibility for a military conflict between the Warsaw Pact and NATO after a possible coup d’état in 1989?
How close did Eastern Bloc countries come to civil war?
The Warsaw Pact and NATO were equipped with a giant arsenal capable of destroying the world – could World War III have happened?
Fortunately the coup d’état in in the Soviet Union did not take place in 1989 but the hardliners were still powerful enough in 1991 to give it a try.
Course content will include PowerPoint slides, on-line content and video.
What Say You, Elder? The Life and Lore of Rev. Daniel Field
A Vermont Methodist Minister of the 19th Century
Presented by Adam Boyce – Vermont Fiddler, Yankee Fiddler, Author and Living History Portrayer
Wednesday, February 6, 1:00 pm
Rev. Daniel “Elder” Field (1805-1883) was born in Springfield, Vermont. He was “called” to become an itinerant Methodist minister, serving various communities throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York State.
Rev. Field retired from the full-time ministry in 1863 to a small farm in Williamstown, Vermont where he spent the remainder of his life, occasionally filling in at local churches as a “supply” minister. It was during this time that many stories about “Elder” Field, as he was known, began to accumulate, showing his droll, wise, and sometimes eccentric ways.
Adam Boyce, whose great-grandparents purchased the former “Elder” Field farm in 1896 which remains in the Boyce family today, relates stories handed down from his family and other sources about the pithy parson.
Adam Boyce has been a life-long student of history. Besides taking an interest in “Elder” Field, he was actively involved for many years with the Williamstown Historical Society in his former hometown of Williamstown, Vermont, along with holding various elected positions in local town government, including town moderator. He learned to play the fiddle from longtime Chelsea fiddler, Harold Luce (1918-2014), and has been involved in nearly every aspect of traditional music and dance history for over 20 years, including the composition of over 100 tunes.
Adam became a speaker and living history presenter through the Humanities Council in Vermont and New Hampshire, starting in 2001. In addition to his love of history, he is an avid collector of antique clocks, and succumbs to the annual Spring rite of passage in Vermont, known as maple sugaring time. Adam and his wife, Mary-Anne, live in West Windsor, Vermont.
Spa Day at The Thompson
Offered by Woodstock Inn and Resort Spa Professionals
Tuesday, February 12, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
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.
Smart Phones 101
Tuesday, February 12, 1:30 pm
Do you have a new cell phone? Or a cell phone you don’t really know how to use? Join us for an hour-long workshop of cell phone basics. Technology consultant Meg Brazill from NWPL will lead this workshop and maybe you can even share a tip or two. No prior knowledge required – just a willingness to try. If it’s fun and helpful, we’ll do it again! Bring your cell phone (make sure it is fully charged) and your log-in and passwords for your phone. Advance registration requested by calling The Thompson Center.
Don’t Be A Target….or a Victim! 
Presented by AARP Vermont Fraud Watch Network
Tuesday, February 19, 1:00 pm
Every day another older Vermonter is ripped off by a telephone, Internet or mail scam. Aggressive scam artists are targeting older Americans across the country to the tune of billions! Find out how you can recognize a con, protect yourself and avoid becoming the next victim. Join us for expert presentations from the AARP Vermont Fraud Watch Network and get the knowledge to protect you and your family from frauds and scams.
The Thompson has hosted these types of programs in the past and will continue to do so as scam artists continually change their tactics. Learn what to watch for by attending this very important presentation, even if you have attended in the past.
Advance registration is requested by calling the Thompson Center.
New Duplicate Bridge Club in the Upper Valley at The Quechee Club
Mondays at 1:00 pm. Please arrive by 12:30 pm for sign-in, pairing, and table assignment
All are welcome… Bridge players, social Bridge players, kitchen Bridge players, aspiring Bridge players, new-to-duplicate Bridge players, experienced duplicate Bridge players. No partner necessary.
Cost: $8 per person, light refreshments and comfortable venue
Director: Dick Tray, ACBL sanctioned club game masterpoints awarded
Contact: Karen Randle 802 225-6640 or randlebridge1430@gmail.com
The New Thompson Book Group
A Meet and Greet Start-Up Gathering
Thursday, February 21, 1:00 pm at The Thompson
The Thompson Book Group will meet for the first time with volunteer and Woodstock resident, Eileen (Lanie) Orcutt as group leader and facilitator. Lanie is an avid reader and has some great reads to suggest and is looking forward to starting this new group with your input for it’s direction. All are welcome to attend this first meeting. As in the past, we thank Yankee Bookshop for their donation of the monthly book selection.
Bob Horan Musician and Story Teller
Thursday, February 28, 1:00 pm immediately following the Birthday Lunch Celebration
As a singer, guitarist and story teller, Bob Horan’s music career has spanned thirty years of sharing his life through music.
His repertoire includes a mixture of old and new songs which underscore a variety of life experiences. He delights in sharing humorous events and more poignant moments from his life, and how they relate to his audience.
Painting at ArtisTree: A Collaboration Between The Thompson Center and ArtisTree
Instructor: Murray Ngoima
Class Dates: Two 6-week Sessions
Session 1: March 1 – April 5
Session 2: April 26 – May 31
Day/Time: Fridays, 10–11:30 am
Cost: $60 for 6 weeks or $10 per class
Ages: Adults
Explore the wonderful world of painting in this class for Thompson Center participants. 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 provided and all levels of experience are welcome! Van transportation is provided by request from your home or from the Thompson to ArtisTree and back.
Water Aerobics Class
Woodstock Athletic Club
Fridays, March 8—May 17, 2019
1:30 – 2:15 pm, Cost: $80 for 10 week class
The Thompson Center will provide shuttle service to and from class if needed. Please register in
advance by calling 457-3277. Payment is due at time of reservation and must be received prior to the start of class series.
Dental Health Care for Older Adults
Presented by Kristin Schiessl-Alf, RDH and Jayne Hull, Patient Coordinator
Thursday, March 21, 1:00 pm
By the year 2030, twenty percent of the U.S. population will be age 65 or older. In Vermont, this percentage is expected to be even greater, at twenty-nine percent. Historically, as people have aged, their oral health has declined. However, a combination of advances in dental technology, public health initiatives, and continued education from dental professionals has allowed people of all ages to improve and maintain their oral health.
Kristin Schiessll-Alf, Registered Dental Hygienist with thirty-three years of experience, and Jayne Hull, Patient Coordinator, with over twenty years of experience, have worked together for many years at Dr. Mark Knott’s and Dr. J. David Laughlin’s offices. Kristin and Jayne will offer a brief, interactive presentation on Dental Health Care for older adults at the Thompson Center. Topics will include: prescription medications and dry mouth, the relationship between oral bacteria and chronic systemic diseases, periodontal disease, jaw joint and jaw muscle issues, and prevention of tooth decay.