New Fall Classes

Dementia: Breaking the Stigma-The Evolution of Disease (Part 2 with Mark Archambault)
With Kathy O’Neel Webster and March Archambault
Monday, September 18, 1:00PM-2:30PM FREE

This workshop covers what Dementia is, where it comes from and what it looks like throughout evolution, LIVE from Marc Archambault, who is living with Alzheimer’s.  We will include information in the advances in diagnosis, treatment and prevention and also expand on the importance of taking care of our caregivers. We will include much of the same information as in the first session but modify and expand in the areas of advances in diagnosis, treatment and prevention as well as self-care for caregivers.

Revolutionary Russia: Background for Today
Instructor: Jim Buxton
Tues, Sept 26 & Wed Sept 27, 1:00PM-2:30PM $35

This course will not take us through the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, but it will shed light on the enormous underlying tensions between the two. We will review the growth of revolutionary movements in Russia and the effects of WWI on Russia. We will be dealing with the revolution(s) of 1917, the rise of Lenin, the end of the Romanov dynasty, and the Communist era through Gorbachev. There will be attempts to understand Russians who may not support Vladimir Putin but who do support the notion that Ukraine should be part of Russia.

Costa Rica
Instructor: Jim Buxton
Friday, September 29, 9:30AM-11:30AM $15

Why are there so many Hondurans, Guatemalans, Salvadorans, and Nicaraguans fleeing to the U.S. while there are so few “Ticans” doing so?  Why were El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala in civil war during the Cold War, while Costa Rica was at peace? This Central American country is very different from the others! It is one of the “happiest” countries in the world, according to the United Nations World Happiness Report. How? Why? Its people have the highest life expectancies in Latin America, equal to the USA! Environmental awards! Education awards! Biodiversity awards!!?  Join this class, and you might just find yourself touring, or living, there!

AI Anxiety
Instructors: Etta Zasloff, Bill Meisner, Barbara Findley, Barbara Nicholson
Thursdays, October 5, 12, 19, 26 9:30AM-11:00AM $45

In 2019, when OLLI members were studying artificial intelligence (AI), they asked, “What is it?” In 2020 we learned more. In 2023 we’re looking for guardrails. This sudden and unanticipated speed of AI development has us now where we thought we’d be in 20 years. Even as we celebrate human imagination and ingenuity, it is vital to discuss unintended consequences, including the possible dangers of AI. Runaway technology growth could result in unimaginable changes to human life, society, and civilization. It’s important to keep informed about the rapid developments in technology, as they affect our lives daily . . . like it or not.

In conjunction with the OLLI Technology Committee, class participants will form a group to research applications of AI that cause anxiety, examining the positives and negatives. Each class member will bring sources of information about AI to share with the group. This will lead to robust discussion and springboard ideas for future study.

GMAIL Tips and Tricks (for Windows/Chromebook users)
Instructor: Peter Stetson
Thursdays, October 10 & 17, 10:00AM-11:30AM $35

Participants MUST have basic computer skills.

Learn the basics of G Mail. How to compose, send, and reply to an email. Organizing your emails into folders and blocking spam emails. Create a unique signature to end each email.

Anesthesia: Its History and Uses
Instructor: James Wishart
Tuesday, October 24, 10:00AM-11:30AM $15

We will begin with a brief history of the development of anesthesia, with an emphasis on the nursing pioneers who were instrumental in its development. James Wishart will then discuss his experiences as both a provider of anesthesia and as a surgical patient. He’ll also touch on certain illnesses that can lead one to an anesthesia experience; specifically, movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor.

New Sessions Added:

Beneath the Breakers Tour (10 Openings Available)
Thursday, October 5, at 10:30AM $30

You’ll see and learn about the new domestic technology that transformed daily life, including:

  • The development of electricity and how it changed the Gilded Age.
  • The emergence of the modern elevator.
  • The revolutionary infrastructure that heated and cooled the great house.
  • The modern plumbing and laundry facilities that affected attitudes about hygiene and cleanliness.

And you’ll hear about the house engineer whose detailed daily journals have helped us understand how it all worked. Based on research by Preservation Society staff and period documents, this tour shares with visitors how the house changed with the times as domestic technology evolved through the Gilded Age and into the 20th century.

The Art of the iPhone (Available for registration beginning Monday, Sept 18)
Instructor: Jan Armor
Fridays, Dec 8, 15, 22, 10:00AM-11:30AM $40

Want to get the most out of your iPhone camera? We will learn how to create stunning landscape and architecture photos, take good macro (close-up) photos, capture unobtrusive candid images, and take photos in the dark of night. We will also discuss using selected camera apps to extend control over your iPhone, how to sync with the Apple and/or Google cloud so your photos are available across all your devices, and how to move, share, and save pictures, including moving images between iPhone, iPad, and computer. Finally, we will explore many hidden features in the Apple Photos app as well as available gear and gadgets that can make your mobile life easier.

Lifestyle Factors and Your Aging Brain (Available for registration beginning Monday, Sept 18)
Instructor: John Robinson
Wednesday, December 13, 10:00AM-11:30AM $15

Research is showing that you can do a lot to prevent and even reverse the effects of brain aging by changing your ways. There is a growing list of potentially modifiable lifestyle practices, such as changes in diet and exercise, which can slow or accelerate brain aging and affect your risk of dementia. We will discuss some real-world examples of behavior change strategies and how you can “customize” a health-promoting lifestyle that is sustainable and fits your unique interests and situation.

Log on to your OLLI account to register or call 401-874-4197.