Positve Aging Conference coming to Madison!

Save the Date! November 12th .

The National Positive Aging Conference is coming to Madison. Come to a video conference and discusssion on how to infuse your life and your community with meaning and purpose and engagement. Hear Richard Leidner, of Something to Live For; Richard Bolles of What Color is Your Parachute for Retirement; Dan Blaetner of The Blue Zone, and Others. John Nelson co-author of What Color is Your Parachute for Retirement, will helping to facilitate the Madison session.

More Great Programs at Next Chapter, Alicia Ashman Library

The Next Chapter Program is presenting two great programs for people 50+

September 23rd, 7 pm

Alicia Ashman Library

Old Sauk Road

The Use Medications and Older People: The Good, Bad and the Ugly

will be of interest to care-givers especially.

Learn about the best ways to use medicines, and avoid the pitfalls of overmedication.

Click here for more information, scroll down the sidebar

October 4th, 10 AM, Amy Onofrey, Senior Housing Specialist

Your Next Step: How to Create a Housing Plan!

She covers key considerations including: financial, locatiion, medical and lifestyle, but most of all how to integrate all these variables into a comprehensive plan.

Click here for more information- see lower side bar

All programs are free and provide vital information to help you live a life you love living!

Couples Just Aren't Talking About It! Much less planning for their future together.

A recent study shows that couples are not even talking -- much less making plans for later life.
A survey showed that almost half didn't even know whether their partner would work in retirement, and more than one third disagreed about when their partner would retire. Barely four out of ten surveyed had done any financial planning at all.

Many people are just too busy leading their lives to have a good conversation about the next stage. Yet research shows that planning ahead increases your chances of obtaining the kind of future you would like.

Glenn Ruffenbach of the Wall Street Journal interviewed financial planners across the country to develop the "Top Ten Questions that You and Your Spouse Should Ask Yourselves About Retirement." He suggests that you should ideally be discussing these questions at least five years before retiring.

Here they are:

1. Do we really want to retire, and if so when?
2. What is our vision of retirement -- and do we share the same vision?
3. Where do we want to retire?
4. What's our strategy for building and preserving a nest egg?
5. What assets do we have for retirement - and are they invested in the most beneficial ways to achieve our goal?
6. How much money will we need to support our lifestyle in retirement?
7. Do we have an estate plan -- and where is it?
8. What will our legacy be?
9. What kind of relationships- personal and financial - do we want with our children and parents in later life?
10. How will each of us approach and manage, getting older?

For more information see the complete article Click here

2Young2Retire: A Couples Conversation program gives people background information on this life transition, 3 tools that can help the conversation flow more easily and help you develop a future you love living. These are tools you can take home and use in a way that suits your partnership style.

We offer this program in different formats and can tailor it to your needs.

For more information check out http://www.2young2retiremadison.com/

NEXT CHAPTER RESOURCE CENTER OPENING! AN EXCITING NEW RESOURCE FOR PEOPLE 50+

The Madison Public Library and RSVP of Dane County

have combined their efforts to create a

Next Chapter Resource Center

for people 50+ in Dane County.

It will be located at the Alicia Ashman Library.

It will be a one-stop shop where you can find much that you need to take charge of your future and create a life you love living.

WHAT IS A NEXT CHAPTER? AND WHAT WILL YOU FIND THERE?

RESOURCES

They have worked to compile all the books, articles, magazines and information one needs to thrive in a midlife transition and take charge of their future.

CRITICAL INFORMATION AND EDUCATION

The Next Chapter will be sponsoring a series of programs on important topics about this “Next Chapter of Your Life” including programs on challenges of “retirement” financial planning and the benefits of Volunteering.

PEER SUPPORT

A change to meet others who want more out of life and are looking to find ways to contribute and leave a legacy.

COME AND CELEBRATE THE OPENING

January 26, 2008 at 10 AM at the Alicia Ashman Branch Library

733 North High Point Road.

Jan Fulwiler, PhD,

Psychologist and Retirement coach will present a program

“Refocusing and Rebalancing for Your Bonus Years"

WAA Offers Programs for Everyone, So If You Want to Be a Badger, then Come Along with Me.

WAA and the Osher Life Long Learning Institute

Offer Programs of Interest to People 50+...

or As the Song Goes?

"So If You Want to Be a Badger Then Come Along With Me"

Anyone can join the Osher Life Long Learning Instititue or even the Wisconsin Alumni Association. The Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) is open to all alumni, students, and friends of the university. So if you enjoy Badger games, or just wish to enjoy all the benefits and opportunities for:

• learning all kinds of classess, field trips, workshops!
• Growing- great people to travel with and travel experiences.
• Social events and opportunities to meet new people
• Sporting Events
• Access to UW Libraries

To join online go to www.uwalumni.com and sign up. It costs $45.00 for a joint membership for a year, $80.00 for two years.

Or you can join the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UW-Madison (UW-OLLI) which focuses on learning for the joy of it and is aimed at all adults age 50-plus in south-central Wisconsin.

Members take part in lectures, field trips, cultural and arts events throughout the year. UW OLLI is an extension of the WAA and Continuing Studies partnership that supports Wisconsin Alumni Lifelong Learning.

There are more than 90 other OLLIs at institutions across the country

Here are examples of the programs they offer:

http://www.uwalumni.com/wednitelab
Every Wednesday7:00 to 8:15 p.m.1360 Biotechnology Building 425 Henry Mall Explore a variety of science topics through lectures and hands-on activities, presented by expert faculty and outreachers. From genetics and microbes to nutrition and campus culture, see for yourself how UW research on life, earth, and social science is relevant to you.

Made in Wisconsin
Experience the dynamic relationship between UW-Madison and the state's industries on these field trips to various Wisconsin companies. Hear from UW faculty and staff as well as alumni company employees as you enjoy a tour and lunch. Transporation is provided. Trek Bicycle - May 18, 2007

Senior Lecture Series: History of Madison
Eight lectures were from October, 2006 to May, 2007. Lectures were free to UW OLLI and PLATO members, and there was an optional luncheon preceding each month's lecture. The Senior Lecture series will resume in September, 2007.The Senior Lecture Series is offered in partnership with PLATO (Participatory Learning And Teaching Organization).

UW OLLI Eligibility and Membership
A number of UW-Madison Osher Lifelong Learning Institute classes and events are open to the public; however, a UW OLLI membership will provide added benefits and access to members-only opportunities.

Anyone may join UW OLLI at an annual rate of $50. Through a special partnership, current members of the Wisconsin Alumni Association and PLATO (Participatory Learning And Teaching Organization) are eligible to join at a special rate of $30 annually.

Benefits of membership include:

• Information about UW OLLI and other lifelong learning events
• Program discounts
• Free coach bus transportation to select events
• Members-only social events.
  
  For more information about UW OLLI events or membership, contact Sarah Schutt at (608) 262-5699 or SarahSchutt@uwalumni.com.

A Personal Mission Statement? What Is It? How Will It Help Me? Tools to Build One.

A PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT? WHAT IS IT?

It is a brief description of who you are and what you wish to accomplish including what actions you will take and the time frame you will do it all in.

There are many ways to write them and many versions, but basically they consist of two parts:

1. What do I want to accomplish?
2. What strenths and talents do I have that I want to use and build on?
   

Stephen Covey describes a personal mission statement as, "an adventure of self-discovery" a chance to " connect with your own unique purpose and the profound satisfaction in fulfilling it".

It is a statement that can guide how you live your life and is deeply rooted in your values and signature strengths.

HOW WILL IT HELP ME?

• Writing one helps you focus on what matters most to you in your life.
• Research shows that just the act of sitting down and writing out your thoughts leads to greater accomplishment.
• Awareness of your values and strengths gives you the opportunity to make more satisfying life choices.
• Living your mission will increase your effectiveness in life because you will use your strengths and talents and seek out ways to express them.
  

As Earl Nightengale says, "People with goals succeed because they know where they are going. It is as simple as that."

GREAT TOOLS ON THE INTENET TO HELP YOU WRITE ONE:

There are two very helpful websites that have tools to help you write your own personal mission statements: www.franklincovey.com and www.nightengale.com

Both have tools where you answer a series of questions that lead you to identifying core values, choosing actions that express those values, and setting goals. They also have products they want you to learn about, but the mission statement process is free and very helpful.

USEFUL BOOKS: If you prefer to read and use a book to help you accomplish this, here are two classics to get you going:

• Covey, Stephe R. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press First Edition, 1989.


• Jones, Laurie Beth, The Path: Creating YOur Mission Statement for Work and for Life
  Hyperion, 1998.

MSCR (Madison Community Recreation Department) Not Just For Kids!

The Madison Community Recreation Department (MSCR) www.mscr.org is a great place for people 50+ to expand your world, make friends and learn new skills, all at a reasonable cost.

The programs and classes are open to everyone,
(If you live outside the Madison Metropolitan School District the course are available at a slightly increased cost.)

MSCR offers a whole smorgasbord of fitness classes in the Goodman 50+ Stay Active and Alive Program, ranging from pilates and tai chi to belly dancing; golf, tennis, stretching, nature walks, bird walks, history walks --all kinds of fitness classes to help you incorportate more activity into your life.

Research shows that one of the best ways to retain mental abilities is to do some form of physical activity for a half hour 3 times a week. These programs help you achieve that goal, and meet interesting people too.


Team Sports? For those who enjoy team sports they sponsor adult vollyball, baseball, softball, golf and tennis leagues.

Artistic? Always wanted to learn to draw? Paint? Digital photography? Throw pots?

They offer all those classes, and for pottery there is a chance to fire your pots in a wood fired kiln, where you join others in keeping a woodfire kiln going for 14 hours to create the magic that makes art.

Love plays? They have bus trips where you can join others traveling to theatres in the surrounding area to see great shows like the Lion King.

Grandkids? Want to learn with your grandchildren? They offer intergenerational classes.

Give back? Volunteer? They also have many opportunities if you want to get involved and become a Friend of MSCR- You can learn to drive a pontoon boat, help a child with a disability exercise, tutor a middle school child, or get involved in helping to offer all these great programs.

You can even enroll online, just go to their online catalog www.mscr.org

Classes for spring and summer are enrolling now.

It is always better to sign up early so that there are enough participants for a class to be held.